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 an RDS for MySQL DB instance encrypted at rest with AWS KMS. The security team requires that all access to the database be logged, including queries that fail due to authentication errors. Which configuration meets this requirement?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable the RDS audit log by setting the 'audit_log_enabled' parameter to 1 in the DB parameter group and export logs to CloudWatch Logs.
Option C is correct because enabling RDS Enhanced Monitoring does not log queries; RDS does not have native query logging for authentication failures. The correct approach is to enable RDS audit logs by setting the 'audit_log_enabled' parameter to 1 in the DB parameter group, and enabling log exports to CloudWatch Logs. However, for MySQL, audit logs capture connection attempts and queries. But none of the options directly mention that. The best answer is to use AWS CloudTrail for RDS API calls and RDS audit logs for database-level logs. Option C enables audit logs and exports to CloudWatch Logs, which captures authentication failures. Option A is wrong because CloudTrail logs only control plane operations, not data plane queries. Option B is wrong because Enhanced Monitoring provides OS metrics, not query logs. Option D is wrong because storing logs in S3 requires enabling audit logs and exporting them. The correct answer is not listed perfectly, but C is closest.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Enable the RDS audit log by setting the 'audit_log_enabled' parameter to 1 in the DB parameter group and export logs to CloudWatch Logs.
Why this is correct
Audit logs capture authentication failures and queries; exporting to CloudWatch allows monitoring.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
Enable RDS Enhanced Monitoring and publish metrics to CloudWatch.
Why it's wrong here
Enhanced Monitoring provides OS-level metrics, not query logs.
✗
Enable AWS CloudTrail for the RDS instance and store logs in S3.
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail logs API calls, not database queries.
✗
Use S3 server access logs to capture database connection attempts.
Why it's wrong here
S3 access logs only log requests to S3 buckets, not RDS connections.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related DBS-C01 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Database Security — This question tests Database Security — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable the RDS audit log by setting the 'audit_log_enabled' parameter to 1 in the DB parameter group and export logs to CloudWatch Logs. — Option C is correct because enabling RDS Enhanced Monitoring does not log queries; RDS does not have native query logging for authentication failures. The correct approach is to enable RDS audit logs by setting the 'audit_log_enabled' parameter to 1 in the DB parameter group, and enabling log exports to CloudWatch Logs. However, for MySQL, audit logs capture connection attempts and queries. But none of the options directly mention that. The best answer is to use AWS CloudTrail for RDS API calls and RDS audit logs for database-level logs. Option C enables audit logs and exports to CloudWatch Logs, which captures authentication failures. Option A is wrong because CloudTrail logs only control plane operations, not data plane queries. Option B is wrong because Enhanced Monitoring provides OS metrics, not query logs. Option D is wrong because storing logs in S3 requires enabling audit logs and exporting them. The correct answer is not listed perfectly, but C is closest.
What should I do if I get this DBS-C01 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related DBS-C01 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Question Discussion
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