- A
Set the rds.force_ssl parameter to 1 in the DB parameter group.
Option D is correct: Setting rds.force_ssl=1 forces all connections to use SSL/TLS.
- B
Configure the database to require a client-side SSL/TLS certificate.
Option A is correct: RDS for Oracle supports SSL/TLS for encrypting connections.
- C
Enable Oracle native network encryption (NNE) in the sqlnet.ora file.
Why wrong: Option B is incorrect: RDS for Oracle does not support Oracle native network encryption; SSL/TLS is used instead.
- D
Use AWS Secrets Manager to store database credentials and enable Kerberos authentication.
Why wrong: Option E is incorrect: Kerberos is for authentication, not encryption. AWS Secrets Manager manages secrets but does not enforce encryption in transit.
- E
Use AWS Direct Connect or a VPN to connect to the VPC.
Why wrong: Option C is incorrect: VPN or Direct Connect secures the network layer but does not enforce encryption at the database connection level.
DBS-C01 Database Security Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of database security. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company is migrating an on-premises Oracle database to Amazon RDS for Oracle. The security team requires that all connections to the database be encrypted in transit. Which TWO steps should be taken to enforce this requirement?
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
Set the rds.force_ssl parameter to 1 in the DB parameter group.
Setting the rds.force_ssl parameter to 1 in the DB parameter group forces all connections to the Oracle RDS instance to use SSL/TLS encryption. This is the direct method to enforce encryption in transit for Amazon RDS for Oracle, as it rejects any non-SSL connections at the database level.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Set the rds.force_ssl parameter to 1 in the DB parameter group.
Why this is correct
Option D is correct: Setting rds.force_ssl=1 forces all connections to use SSL/TLS.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Configure the database to require a client-side SSL/TLS certificate.
Why this is correct
Option A is correct: RDS for Oracle supports SSL/TLS for encrypting connections.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Enable Oracle native network encryption (NNE) in the sqlnet.ora file.
Why it's wrong here
Option B is incorrect: RDS for Oracle does not support Oracle native network encryption; SSL/TLS is used instead.
- ✗
Use AWS Secrets Manager to store database credentials and enable Kerberos authentication.
Why it's wrong here
Option E is incorrect: Kerberos is for authentication, not encryption. AWS Secrets Manager manages secrets but does not enforce encryption in transit.
- ✗
Use AWS Direct Connect or a VPN to connect to the VPC.
Why it's wrong here
Option C is incorrect: VPN or Direct Connect secures the network layer but does not enforce encryption at the database connection level.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse Oracle Native Network Encryption (NNE) with SSL/TLS, but RDS for Oracle does not support NNE; only SSL/TLS is available for encryption in transit.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When rds.force_ssl is set to 1, the RDS Oracle instance requires clients to connect using a certificate from the AWS RDS certificate authority. The client must download the AWS-provided root certificate and configure the Oracle client to use SSL (e.g., via sqlnet.ora with SSL_CLIENT_AUTHENTICATION = TRUE and WALLET_LOCATION). This ensures that even if the network path is compromised, the data remains encrypted end-to-end.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Database Security — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Database Security practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All DBS-C01 questions
1,730 questions across all exam domains
- →
AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
DBS-C01 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related DBS-C01 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Workload-Specific Database Design practice questions
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Workload-Specific Database Design.
Deployment and Migration practice questions
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Deployment and Migration.
Management and Operations practice questions
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Management and Operations.
Monitoring and Troubleshooting practice questions
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Monitoring and Troubleshooting.
Database Security practice questions
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Database Security.
DBS-C01 fundamentals practice questions
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to DBS-C01 fundamentals.
DBS-C01 scenario practice questions
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to DBS-C01 scenario.
DBS-C01 troubleshooting practice questions
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to DBS-C01 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free DBS-C01 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DBS-C01 question test?
Database Security — This question tests Database Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Set the rds.force_ssl parameter to 1 in the DB parameter group. — Setting the rds.force_ssl parameter to 1 in the DB parameter group forces all connections to the Oracle RDS instance to use SSL/TLS encryption. This is the direct method to enforce encryption in transit for Amazon RDS for Oracle, as it rejects any non-SSL connections at the database level.
What should I do if I get this DBS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Keep practising
More DBS-C01 practice questions
- Match each AWS service to its primary purpose.
- A company needs to migrate a 100 GB MongoDB database to Amazon DocumentDB (with MongoDB compatibility). The migration mu…
- A company is designing a database for an IoT application that ingests sensor data from thousands of devices. Each device…
- Arrange the steps to troubleshoot a connection timeout issue from an EC2 instance to an Amazon RDS for SQL Server DB ins…
- Arrange the steps to configure a read replica for an Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL DB instance in a different AWS Region in…
- Arrange the steps to perform a point-in-time recovery (PITR) for an Amazon RDS for MySQL DB instance in the correct orde…
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This DBS-C01 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the DBS-C01 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.