Quick Answer
The answer is VPC security groups, which are the correct AWS feature to restrict RDS database access by source IP address. Security groups act as a virtual firewall for your RDS instance, allowing you to define inbound rules that explicitly permit traffic only from specific source IP addresses or CIDR ranges, while implicitly denying all other traffic. This is fundamentally different from network ACLs, which operate at the subnet level and cannot be attached directly to an RDS instance, and from IAM policies, which control API-level permissions rather than network traffic. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this concept tests your understanding of network-level security boundaries for managed database services—a common trap is confusing security groups with network ACLs or assuming IAM can restrict IP-based access. Remember the memory tip: "Security groups are instance-level bouncers; NACLs are subnet-level security guards."
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of database security. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 using Amazon RDS for MySQL and wants to restrict access to the database based on the source IP address. Which AWS feature should be used to achieve this?
DB Parameter Groups
Why wrong: Parameter groups do not control network access.
VPC Security Groups
Security groups act as a firewall for the DB instance, controlling inbound traffic based on IP or other security groups.
IAM Database Authentication
Why wrong: IAM authentication controls user access, not network-level IP restrictions.
Network ACLs
Why wrong: NACLs are stateless and apply at the subnet level.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
VPC Security Groups
Security groups act as a virtual firewall for RDS instances. You can specify inbound rules that allow traffic only from certain IP addresses or other security groups. Network ACLs are for subnets, not individual instances. IAM policies control API access, not network traffic. DB parameter groups configure database engine parameters.
Key principle: Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
DB Parameter Groups
Why it's wrong here
Parameter groups do not control network access.
VPC Security Groups
IAM Database Authentication
Why it's wrong here
IAM authentication controls user access, not network-level IP restrictions.
Network ACLs
Why it's wrong here
NACLs are stateless and apply at the subnet level.
Common exam traps
Subnetting questions often tempt you into counting all addresses. In normal IPv4 subnets, the network and broadcast addresses are not usable host addresses.
Detailed technical explanation
Subnetting questions test whether you can identify the network, broadcast address, usable range, mask and correct subnet. Slow down enough to calculate the block size correctly.
Key takeaway
Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
Real-world example
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
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related DBS-C01 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
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FAQ
Database Security — This question tests Database Security — CIDR notation defines the prefix length..
The correct answer is: VPC Security Groups — Security groups act as a virtual firewall for RDS instances. You can specify inbound rules that allow traffic only from certain IP addresses or other security groups. Network ACLs are for subnets, not individual instances. IAM policies control API access, not network traffic. DB parameter groups configure database engine parameters.
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related DBS-C01 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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