The correct configuration is to set the ALB listener to use a TLS certificate and the target group protocol to HTTPS, then install a server certificate on the EC2 instances. This works because the ALB decrypts client traffic at the listener, then re-encrypts it using HTTPS for the backend connection, while the EC2 instances terminate that TLS handshake with their own certificate, ensuring end-to-end encryption of data in transit. On the AWS Certified Developer Associate DVA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to encrypt traffic between ALB and EC2 beyond just the client-facing side—a common trap is assuming a TCP target group or a self-signed certificate on the ALB alone is sufficient. Remember that the ALB acts as a TLS termination proxy, so you must explicitly set the target group protocol to HTTPS and provide a certificate on the instances. A useful memory tip: “Listener TLS, target HTTPS, instance cert—three layers to encrypt the journey.”
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 wants to encrypt data in transit between an Application Load Balancer and its EC2 instances. The instances run a custom web server. Which configuration should the developer implement?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Configure the ALB listener with a TLS certificate and set the target group protocol to HTTPS. Install the server certificate on the EC2 instances.
To encrypt data in transit between an Application Load Balancer (ALB) and EC2 instances, the ALB listener must be configured with a TLS certificate for client-to-ALB encryption, and the target group protocol must be set to HTTPS to enable encryption between the ALB and the instances. The EC2 instances must have a server certificate installed (e.g., from ACM or self-signed) to terminate the TLS connection, ensuring end-to-end encryption. This setup allows the ALB to re-encrypt traffic after decrypting it from the client, using HTTPS for the backend connection.
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.
✓
Configure the ALB listener with a TLS certificate and set the target group protocol to HTTPS. Install the server certificate on the EC2 instances.
Why this is correct
This encrypts traffic between ALB and instances.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use AWS Certificate Manager to issue a certificate for the EC2 instances and configure the web server to use it.
Why it's wrong here
This only secures direct connections to EC2, not between ALB and EC2.
✗
Configure the ALB listener with a TLS certificate and set the target group protocol to HTTP.
Enable client certificate authentication on the ALB.
Why it's wrong here
This is for mutual TLS, not for encrypting backend traffic.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume setting the ALB listener to HTTPS alone encrypts the entire path, forgetting that the target group protocol must also be HTTPS to encrypt the ALB-to-instance traffic, or they mistakenly think ACM certificates can be directly installed on EC2 instances.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When the ALB uses HTTPS for the target group, it establishes a new TLS session with the backend instance using the server certificate installed on the instance. The ALB can use either ACM-provided certificates or certificates uploaded to IAM for this purpose, but the instance must trust the ALB's certificate if using mutual authentication. In practice, many developers use self-signed certificates on EC2 instances for backend encryption, as the ALB does not validate the certificate chain by default, reducing operational overhead.
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: Configure the ALB listener with a TLS certificate and set the target group protocol to HTTPS. Install the server certificate on the EC2 instances. — To encrypt data in transit between an Application Load Balancer (ALB) and EC2 instances, the ALB listener must be configured with a TLS certificate for client-to-ALB encryption, and the target group protocol must be set to HTTPS to enable encryption between the ALB and the instances. The EC2 instances must have a server certificate installed (e.g., from ACM or self-signed) to terminate the TLS connection, ensuring end-to-end encryption. This setup allows the ALB to re-encrypt traffic after decrypting it from the client, using HTTPS for the backend connection.
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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Question Discussion
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