This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of 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 has a legacy application running on an EC2 instance that stores database credentials in a plain text configuration file. The security team requires that credentials be stored securely and rotated every 90 days. The developer must minimize changes to the application code. The application currently reads the configuration file from the file system. Which solution meets these requirements?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "minimum / minimize"
Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
Encrypt the configuration file using AWS KMS and store the encrypted file on S3.
Why wrong: No automatic rotation.
B
Use AWS Secrets Manager to store the credentials and configure automatic rotation with a Lambda function. Modify the application to retrieve the secret from Secrets Manager.
Supports rotation; minimal code change required.
C
Store the credentials in environment variables on the EC2 instance.
Why wrong: Not secure and no rotation.
D
Store the credentials in AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store as a SecureString and retrieve them at application startup.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use AWS Secrets Manager to store the credentials and configure automatic rotation with a Lambda function. Modify the application to retrieve the secret from Secrets Manager.
Option B is correct because AWS Secrets Manager provides built-in support for automatic credential rotation using a Lambda function, meeting the 90-day rotation requirement without manual intervention. By modifying the application to retrieve the secret via the Secrets Manager API, the credentials are no longer stored in plain text, satisfying the security team's mandate. This approach minimizes code changes because the application only needs to replace the file read with an API call, preserving the existing logic structure.
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.
✗
Encrypt the configuration file using AWS KMS and store the encrypted file on S3.
Why it's wrong here
No automatic rotation.
✓
Use AWS Secrets Manager to store the credentials and configure automatic rotation with a Lambda function. Modify the application to retrieve the secret from Secrets Manager.
Why this is correct
Supports rotation; minimal code change required.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Store the credentials in environment variables on the EC2 instance.
Why it's wrong here
Not secure and no rotation.
✗
Store the credentials in AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store as a SecureString and retrieve them at application startup.
Why it's wrong here
No automatic rotation.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse AWS Secrets Manager with Systems Manager Parameter Store, assuming both support automatic rotation, but Parameter Store does not provide built-in rotation capabilities, making Secrets Manager the only correct choice for automated rotation requirements.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Secrets Manager uses a Lambda function to rotate secrets, which can be configured to run on a schedule (e.g., every 90 days) via Amazon EventBridge. The rotation process updates the secret in the database or service and then stores the new value in Secrets Manager, ensuring the application always retrieves the current version. Under the hood, Secrets Manager uses version IDs and staging labels (e.g., AWSCURRENT, AWSPREVIOUS) to manage secret versions, allowing the application to seamlessly transition during rotation without downtime.
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 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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Security — This question tests Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use AWS Secrets Manager to store the credentials and configure automatic rotation with a Lambda function. Modify the application to retrieve the secret from Secrets Manager. — Option B is correct because AWS Secrets Manager provides built-in support for automatic credential rotation using a Lambda function, meeting the 90-day rotation requirement without manual intervention. By modifying the application to retrieve the secret via the Secrets Manager API, the credentials are no longer stored in plain text, satisfying the security team's mandate. This approach minimizes code changes because the application only needs to replace the file read with an API call, preserving the existing logic structure.
What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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