DBS-C01 Management and Operations Practice Question
A company has a production Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL Multi-AZ DB instance. The company's security team requires that all database connections use IAM database authentication. The company also needs to ensure that connections from a specific application server are allowed only if the server has a valid IAM role. Which combination of steps should the database administrator take to meet these requirements?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable IAM database authentication on the RDS instance. Create a database user that matches the IAM role ARN. Grant the application server's IAM role the rds_iam role. Configure the application to generate an authentication token using the IAM role's credentials.
IAM database authentication for RDS PostgreSQL requires mapping IAM roles to database users. Steps: 1) Enable IAM database authentication on the RDS instance. 2) Create a database user that matches the IAM role ARN (the role assumed by the application server). 3) Grant the rds_iam role to the application server's IAM role to allow it to authenticate. 4) Configure the application to generate an authentication token using the IAM role's credentials. Option D is correct because it includes all these steps. Option A is wrong because it uses a password instead of an authentication token. Option B is wrong because it references an IAM user ARN instead of a role ARN. Option C is wrong because it does not enable IAM authentication and uses a password.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Create a database user with a strong password. Enable IAM database authentication. Assign the application server an IAM policy that allows rds-db:connect. Configure the application to use the password.
Why it's wrong here
IAM database authentication does not use passwords; it uses authentication tokens.
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Enable IAM database authentication. Create a database user matching the IAM user ARN. Grant the application server's IAM user the rds_iam role. Configure the application to use an authentication token.
Why it's wrong here
The database user should match the IAM role ARN, not the IAM user ARN, because the application server assumes a role.
- ✗
Enable IAM database authentication. Create a database user that matches the IAM role ARN. Configure the application to use the database master username and password.
Why it's wrong here
Using a password bypasses IAM authentication.
- ✓
Enable IAM database authentication on the RDS instance. Create a database user that matches the IAM role ARN. Grant the application server's IAM role the rds_iam role. Configure the application to generate an authentication token using the IAM role's credentials.
Why this is correct
This ensures connections use IAM authentication and the application server's role is required.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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