The correct three steps are placing the Lambda function in a VPC, storing database credentials in Secrets Manager, and configuring the RDS security group to allow inbound traffic from the Lambda function’s security group. This combination ensures secure, private communication between Lambda and RDS by keeping traffic within the AWS network and avoiding exposure to the public internet. Secrets Manager handles credential rotation and encryption, while the security group acts as a virtual firewall to restrict access only to the specific Lambda execution environment. On the AWS Certified Developer Associate DVA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of network isolation and secret management for serverless databases, with a common trap being the mistaken belief that IAM roles can replace database credentials for RDS authentication—they cannot, as RDS requires traditional username and password pairs. Remember the mnemonic “VPC, Secrets, SG” to recall the three pillars of securing Lambda-to-RDS access.
DVA-C02 Security Practice Question
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 using AWS Lambda and needs to ensure that the function can access an RDS database securely. Which THREE steps should be taken?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Place the Lambda function inside a VPC.
Option A, C, and E are correct. Option A: Lambda should be in a VPC to access RDS privately. Option C: Database credentials should be stored in Secrets Manager. Option E: Security group should allow ingress from Lambda. Option B is wrong because Lambda does not use IAM roles for database authentication (it uses traditional credentials). Option D is wrong because Lambda cannot use client certificates for RDS.
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.
✓
Place the Lambda function inside a VPC.
Why this is correct
Enables private access to RDS.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Store the database credentials in AWS Secrets Manager and retrieve them in the Lambda code.
Why this is correct
Secure credential storage.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Attach an IAM role to the Lambda function that grants rds:* permissions.
Why it's wrong here
IAM roles are not used for database authentication.
✗
Configure the RDS instance to require client certificates.
Why it's wrong here
Not necessary and Lambda does not support client certs for RDS.
✓
Configure the security group of the RDS instance to allow inbound traffic from the Lambda function's security group.
Why this is correct
Controls network access.
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 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 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: Place the Lambda function inside a VPC. — Option A, C, and E are correct. Option A: Lambda should be in a VPC to access RDS privately. Option C: Database credentials should be stored in Secrets Manager. Option E: Security group should allow ingress from Lambda. Option B is wrong because Lambda does not use IAM roles for database authentication (it uses traditional credentials). Option D is wrong because Lambda cannot use client certificates for RDS.
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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Question Discussion
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