The answer is to store database credentials in AWS Secrets Manager and retrieve them during deployment, alongside using IAM roles for CodePipeline and Lambda. This is correct because IAM roles provide temporary, automatically rotated credentials for AWS services, eliminating the need to hardcode long-term access keys in your pipeline or function code. By assuming an IAM role, CodePipeline can securely deploy Lambda without exposing static secrets, adhering to the principle of least privilege. On the AWS Certified Developer Associate DVA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of secure credential management in CI/CD workflows—a common trap is choosing to embed secrets in environment variables or use long-lived access keys, which violates security best practices. Remember the memory tip: “Roles rotate, keys leak”—always prefer IAM roles and Secrets Manager for any sensitive data in automated pipelines.
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 developer is designing a CI/CD pipeline using AWS CodePipeline. The pipeline deploys a Lambda function. Which THREE practices should be followed to ensure security?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use IAM roles for pipeline actions instead of access keys.
Option A is correct because IAM roles provide temporary credentials for AWS services, eliminating the need to manage long-term access keys. CodePipeline can assume an IAM role to perform actions like deploying a Lambda function, which reduces the risk of credential leakage. This follows the principle of least privilege and is a security best practice for automated pipelines.
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 IAM roles for pipeline actions instead of access keys.
Why this is correct
IAM roles provide temporary credentials and are more secure.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use CloudFront to distribute pipeline artifacts.
Why it's wrong here
CloudFront is for content delivery, not pipeline artifacts.
✓
Store database credentials in AWS Secrets Manager and retrieve them during deployment.
Why this is correct
Secrets Manager securely stores and rotates credentials.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Encrypt artifacts in transit using TLS.
Why it's wrong here
TLS is already used; this is not a specific best practice for pipeline security.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse CloudFront's artifact distribution capability with S3's role in CodePipeline, or assume TLS encryption is an optional security practice rather than a default AWS behavior.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, CodePipeline uses IAM roles to grant permissions for each stage action, such as invoking Lambda or reading from S3, via the service-linked role or custom roles. AWS Secrets Manager integrates with Lambda through environment variables or the AWS SDK, allowing retrieval of secrets at runtime without hardcoding them. Scanning dependencies with tools like Amazon Inspector or Snyk identifies CVEs in libraries like requests or boto3, preventing supply chain attacks.
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 IAM roles for pipeline actions instead of access keys. — Option A is correct because IAM roles provide temporary credentials for AWS services, eliminating the need to manage long-term access keys. CodePipeline can assume an IAM role to perform actions like deploying a Lambda function, which reduces the risk of credential leakage. This follows the principle of least privilege and is a security best practice for automated pipelines.
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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