← DVA-C02·Amazon Web Services

Question 1,253 of 1,616

Security →mediumMultiple SelectObjective-mapped

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 has a VPC with public and private subnets. The private subnets contain Amazon RDS databases. Which TWO actions are required to secure the database instances?

A
Configure security groups to allow only necessary traffic from application servers.
Security groups act as a virtual firewall for the database.
B
Attach an IAM role to the RDS instance to control access.
Why wrong: IAM roles are not used for database connectivity.
C
Use network ACLs to allow inbound traffic on port 3306 from anywhere.
Why wrong: NACLs are stateless and less precise than security groups.
D
Place the RDS instances in public subnets with a route to an internet gateway.
Why wrong: Public subnets expose the database to the internet.
E
Place the RDS instances in private subnets.
Private subnets do not have direct internet access.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Answer choices

Why each option matters

Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.

Correct answer & explanation

✓

Configure security groups to allow only necessary traffic from application servers.

The two required actions to secure RDS instances in a VPC are: (A) Configure security groups to allow only necessary traffic from application servers, and (E) Place the RDS instances in private subnets. Security groups act as a virtual firewall, controlling inbound traffic at the instance level. By restricting access to only the application servers on the required database port (e.g., 3306 for MySQL), you minimize exposure. Placing RDS in private subnets ensures the instances have no direct route to the internet, as private subnets do not have an internet gateway route. This prevents direct internet access to the databases. Option B is incorrect because IAM roles attached to RDS control permissions for AWS service integration, not network access. Database authentication is managed via database credentials or IAM database authentication, not by an IAM role on the instance. Option C is incorrect because network ACLs are stateless and applied at the subnet level; allowing inbound traffic on port 3306 from anywhere is overly permissive and insecure. The primary security mechanism should be security groups. Option D is incorrect because placing RDS in public subnets would expose the databases to the internet, defeating the purpose of security. Private subnets are essential for database security.

Key principle: Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.

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 security groups to allow only necessary traffic from application servers.
Why this is correct
Security groups act as a virtual firewall for the database.
Related concept
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
✗
Attach an IAM role to the RDS instance to control access.
Why it's wrong here
IAM roles are not used for database connectivity.
✗
Use network ACLs to allow inbound traffic on port 3306 from anywhere.
Why it's wrong here
NACLs are stateless and less precise than security groups.
✗
Place the RDS instances in public subnets with a route to an internet gateway.
Why it's wrong here
Public subnets expose the database to the internet.
✓
Place the RDS instances in private subnets.
Why this is correct
Private subnets do not have direct internet access.
Related concept
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: usable hosts are not the same as total addresses

Subnetting questions often tempt you into counting all addresses. In normal IPv4 subnets, the network and broadcast addresses are not usable host addresses.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Subnetting questions test whether you can identify the network, broadcast address, usable range, mask and correct subnet. Slow down enough to calculate the block size correctly.

KKey Concepts to Remember

CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
Block size helps identify subnet boundaries.
Network and broadcast addresses are not usable hosts in normal IPv4 subnets.
The required host count determines the smallest suitable subnet.

TExam Day Tips

Write the block size before choosing the subnet.
Check whether the question asks for hosts, subnets or a specific address range.
Do not confuse /24, /25, /26 and /27 host counts.

Key takeaway

Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.

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.

Visual reference

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related DVA-C02 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.

Related DVA-C02 practice-question pages

Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.

Development with AWS Services practice questions

Practise DVA-C02 questions linked to Development with AWS Services.

Security practice questions

Practise DVA-C02 questions linked to Security.

Deployment practice questions

Practise DVA-C02 questions linked to Deployment.

Troubleshooting and Optimization practice questions

Practise DVA-C02 questions linked to Troubleshooting and Optimization.

DVA-C02 fundamentals practice questions

Practise DVA-C02 questions linked to DVA-C02 fundamentals.

DVA-C02 scenario practice questions

Practise DVA-C02 questions linked to DVA-C02 scenario.

DVA-C02 troubleshooting practice questions

Practise DVA-C02 questions linked to DVA-C02 troubleshooting.

Practice this exam

Start a free DVA-C02 practice session

Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.

10 questions 20 questions 30 questions 50 questions Timed 30

DVA-C02 practice-test guide →Study guide →Browse all practice tests

FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this DVA-C02 question test?

Security — This question tests Security — CIDR notation defines the prefix length..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Configure security groups to allow only necessary traffic from application servers. — The two required actions to secure RDS instances in a VPC are: (A) Configure security groups to allow only necessary traffic from application servers, and (E) Place the RDS instances in private subnets. Security groups act as a virtual firewall, controlling inbound traffic at the instance level. By restricting access to only the application servers on the required database port (e.g., 3306 for MySQL), you minimize exposure. Placing RDS in private subnets ensures the instances have no direct route to the internet, as private subnets do not have an internet gateway route. This prevents direct internet access to the databases. Option B is incorrect because IAM roles attached to RDS control permissions for AWS service integration, not network access. Database authentication is managed via database credentials or IAM database authentication, not by an IAM role on the instance. Option C is incorrect because network ACLs are stateless and applied at the subnet level; allowing inbound traffic on port 3306 from anywhere is overly permissive and insecure. The primary security mechanism should be security groups. Option D is incorrect because placing RDS in public subnets would expose the databases to the internet, defeating the purpose of security. Private subnets are essential for database security.

What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 question wrong?

What is the key concept behind this question?

CIDR notation defines the prefix length.

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 →

How Courseiva writes practice questions · Editorial policy

Keep practising

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.

Loading comments…

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.