The answer is to use AWS Secrets Manager for secure RDS credentials in Lambda, combined with placing the Lambda function inside a VPC and using a security group to restrict database access. This is correct because Secrets Manager natively integrates with RDS to automatically rotate credentials on a schedule, eliminating hardcoded secrets from code or environment variables, while the VPC placement and security group enforce network-level isolation. On the AWS Certified Developer Associate DVA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the shared responsibility model and the principle of least privilege—a common trap is choosing Systems Manager Parameter Store without rotation capabilities or assuming Lambda’s default public network can reach a private RDS instance. Remember the mnemonic “VPC, SG, Secrets” to recall the three pillars: VPC placement, security group rules, and Secrets Manager for credential lifecycle management.
DVA-C02 Security Practice Question
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 is using AWS Lambda functions that access an RDS database. Which THREE practices should be followed to secure the database credentials?
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 and automatically rotate the credentials.
Option A is correct because AWS Secrets Manager is designed to securely store, retrieve, and automatically rotate database credentials, eliminating the need to hardcode secrets. It integrates natively with RDS to manage credential rotation on a schedule you define, reducing the risk of credential exposure. This follows the AWS security best practice of using a dedicated secrets management service rather than embedding credentials in code or configuration.
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.
✓
Use AWS Secrets Manager to store and automatically rotate the credentials.
Why this is correct
Secrets Manager provides secure storage and rotation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use a security group to decrypt the credentials.
Why it's wrong here
Security groups do not decrypt credentials; they control network traffic.
✓
Encrypt the credentials using AWS KMS and pass them as encrypted environment variables to Lambda.
Why this is correct
KMS-encrypted environment variables protect secrets at rest.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Store the credentials in the Lambda function code.
Why it's wrong here
Storing credentials in code is insecure.
✓
Place the Lambda function inside a VPC and use a security group to allow access to RDS.
Why this is correct
VPC placement ensures traffic is over the AWS network, not the internet.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse network-level controls (security groups) with cryptographic operations, or assume that encrypting environment variables with KMS is sufficient, overlooking that Secrets Manager provides rotation and centralized audit capabilities that KMS alone does not.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When using AWS KMS to encrypt credentials as environment variables (Option C), Lambda automatically decrypts them at invocation time via the KMS Decrypt API, but the plaintext is still present in the function's memory during execution. For maximum security, combine Secrets Manager with IAM roles and resource-based policies to restrict access, and enable automatic rotation using a custom Lambda rotation function that updates the RDS password 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 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.
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 and automatically rotate the credentials. — Option A is correct because AWS Secrets Manager is designed to securely store, retrieve, and automatically rotate database credentials, eliminating the need to hardcode secrets. It integrates natively with RDS to manage credential rotation on a schedule you define, reducing the risk of credential exposure. This follows the AWS security best practice of using a dedicated secrets management service rather than embedding credentials in code or configuration.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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This DVA-C02 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 DVA-C02 exam.
Question Discussion
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