The correct choice is AWS Secrets Manager because it is purpose-built to securely store database credentials and retrieve them at runtime without hardcoding, while also supporting automatic rotation. This solution directly addresses the security requirement by using the AWS SDK to fetch credentials dynamically from Secrets Manager, ensuring they never appear in application code or configuration files. On the AWS Certified Developer Associate DVA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of secure credential management versus alternatives like storing in environment variables or S3, which are common traps. The key distinction is that Secrets Manager integrates natively with RDS for PostgreSQL to enable automated rotation without code changes, a feature not offered by simpler services like Parameter Store. Remember the memory tip: “Secrets rotate, parameters don’t” — if the requirement includes rotation, always choose Secrets Manager over Systems Manager Parameter Store.
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 runs a web application on EC2 instances behind an Application Load Balancer. The application uses a PostgreSQL database on RDS. The security team requires that database credentials never be stored in application code or configuration files. Which solution meets this requirement?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "never"
Why it matters: Absolute qualifier. True only if the statement has zero exceptions — be cautious of options that seem obvious but break down in edge cases.
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 the credentials and retrieve them at runtime with automatic rotation.
Option D is correct because AWS Secrets Manager is designed specifically for securely storing and automatically rotating database credentials. It integrates natively with RDS for PostgreSQL, enabling automatic rotation without code changes. The application retrieves credentials at runtime via the AWS SDK, ensuring they are never stored in code or configuration files.
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.
✗
Store the credentials in a Systems Manager Parameter Store parameter and retrieve them at application startup.
Why it's wrong here
Parameter Store does not automatically rotate secrets; Secrets Manager is better for rotation.
✗
Store the credentials in an encrypted S3 bucket and have the application read the config file at startup.
Why it's wrong here
The credentials would still be in a file, and managing rotation is complex.
✗
Hardcode the credentials in a Lambda function that is called to get the credentials.
Why it's wrong here
Hardcoding credentials is not secure.
✓
Use AWS Secrets Manager to store the credentials and retrieve them at runtime with automatic rotation.
Why this is correct
Secrets Manager provides secure storage and automatic rotation.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "never" in the question point toward this answer.
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 confuse Systems Manager Parameter Store (which can store secrets but lacks automatic rotation) with Secrets Manager, leading them to choose Option A despite the rotation requirement.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS Secrets Manager uses a backing encryption key (KMS) to encrypt secrets at rest and integrates with RDS via a Lambda rotation function that updates the secret and the database password simultaneously. The application retrieves the secret using the GetSecretValue API call, which returns the current credentials in plaintext over TLS. A subtle behavior is that Secrets Manager caches credentials in the SDK client by default, reducing API calls but requiring a cache invalidation strategy if rotation occurs mid-session.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
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 the credentials and retrieve them at runtime with automatic rotation. — Option D is correct because AWS Secrets Manager is designed specifically for securely storing and automatically rotating database credentials. It integrates natively with RDS for PostgreSQL, enabling automatic rotation without code changes. The application retrieves credentials at runtime via the AWS SDK, ensuring they are never stored in code or configuration files.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "never". Absolute qualifier. True only if the statement has zero exceptions — be cautious of options that seem obvious but break down in edge cases.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.