The answer is to associate AWS WAF directly with the Application Load Balancer. This is the correct action because AWS WAF is a managed web application firewall that integrates natively with ALBs, allowing you to block SQL injection attacks by enabling the SQL injection match condition in a WAF web ACL without altering the existing EC2, Auto Scaling, or RDS architecture. On the AWS Certified Developer Associate DVA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the simplest, least-invasive integration path—a common trap is overcomplicating the solution by adding CloudFront or Shield Advanced, which are unnecessary here. Remember that WAF attaches to the ALB at the listener level, not to instances or databases, making it a seamless layer of defense. Memory tip: "WAF with ALB is the direct path—no CloudFront detour needed."
DVA-C02 Security Practice Question
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 runs a web application on EC2 instances behind an Application Load Balancer. The security team discovers that the application is vulnerable to SQL injection attacks. The team wants to implement a web application firewall (WAF) to block these attacks. The architecture includes an ALB, EC2 instances in an Auto Scaling group, and an RDS database. The ALB currently has a listener on port 443 with an SSL certificate. The developer must integrate AWS WAF with minimal changes to the existing infrastructure. Which action should the developer take?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Associate AWS WAF directly with the Application Load Balancer.
Option B is correct because AWS WAF can be associated directly with an ALB, which is the simplest integration. Option A is wrong because CloudFront adds complexity and cost, and is not necessary. Option C is wrong because WAF does not run on EC2; it's a managed service. Option D is wrong because Shield Advanced does not provide WAF rules for SQL injection.
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.
✗
Subscribe to AWS Shield Advanced and enable automatic mitigation.
Why it's wrong here
Shield Advanced protects against DDoS, not SQL injection.
✗
Install a WAF agent on each EC2 instance in the Auto Scaling group.
Why it's wrong here
WAF is a managed service, not installed on instances.
✗
Place a CloudFront distribution in front of the ALB and associate WAF with CloudFront.
Why it's wrong here
Adding CloudFront increases complexity without need.
✓
Associate AWS WAF directly with the Application Load Balancer.
Why this is correct
WAF integrates natively with ALB.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which DVA-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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: Associate AWS WAF directly with the Application Load Balancer. — Option B is correct because AWS WAF can be associated directly with an ALB, which is the simplest integration. Option A is wrong because CloudFront adds complexity and cost, and is not necessary. Option C is wrong because WAF does not run on EC2; it's a managed service. Option D is wrong because Shield Advanced does not provide WAF rules for SQL injection.
What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 question wrong?
Identify which DVA-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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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