Quick Answer
AWS Secrets Manager is the correct choice because it provides native, built-in support for automatic rotation of RDS credentials every 30 days without requiring custom Lambda functions. It securely stores database credentials and directly integrates with Amazon RDS to update both the secret and the database instance on a configurable schedule, making it the only AWS service purpose-built for this task. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of managed rotation services versus manual alternatives like Parameter Store, which lacks automatic rotation for RDS. A common trap is choosing Systems Manager Parameter Store because it can store secrets, but it does not support native rotation—Secrets Manager handles the full lifecycle. Memory tip: think "Secrets Manager rotates, Parameter Store stores."
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security and compliance. 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 Lambda function that processes sensitive data and needs to access an RDS database. The security team requires that the database credentials are automatically rotated every 30 days. Which service should be used to store and rotate the credentials?
AWS Secrets Manager
Secrets Manager provides automatic rotation of credentials.
AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store
Why wrong: Parameter Store does not automatically rotate secrets.
Amazon DynamoDB
Why wrong: DynamoDB is a database, not a secrets manager.
AWS IAM roles
Why wrong: Roles are for permissions, not for storing database credentials.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
AWS Secrets Manager
AWS Secrets Manager is the correct choice because it is specifically designed to securely store, manage, and automatically rotate database credentials for services like RDS. It supports native, built-in rotation for Amazon RDS (MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server, and MariaDB) without requiring custom Lambda functions. The automatic rotation can be scheduled at a desired interval (e.g., every 30 days) using a rotation schedule defined in the secret's configuration, and it integrates directly with RDS to update the credentials on both the secret and the database.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
AWS Secrets Manager
Why this is correct
Secrets Manager provides automatic rotation of credentials.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store
Why it's wrong here
Parameter Store does not automatically rotate secrets.
Amazon DynamoDB
Why it's wrong here
DynamoDB is a database, not a secrets manager.
AWS IAM roles
Why it's wrong here
Roles are for permissions, not for storing database credentials.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store with Secrets Manager because both can store secrets, but Parameter Store lacks native automatic rotation and RDS integration, making it unsuitable for the 30-day rotation requirement.
Detailed technical explanation
AWS Secrets Manager uses a Lambda-based rotation function (provided by AWS for RDS) that updates the secret value and the corresponding RDS database user password in a single atomic operation, ensuring consistency. The rotation process follows a four-phase protocol: create a new version of the secret, set the new password in the database, test the new credentials, and then deprecate the old version. This ensures zero downtime during rotation, as the old credentials remain valid until the new ones are confirmed working, which is critical for production systems.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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Security and Compliance — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Security and Compliance — This question tests Security and Compliance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: AWS Secrets Manager — AWS Secrets Manager is the correct choice because it is specifically designed to securely store, manage, and automatically rotate database credentials for services like RDS. It supports native, built-in rotation for Amazon RDS (MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server, and MariaDB) without requiring custom Lambda functions. The automatic rotation can be scheduled at a desired interval (e.g., every 30 days) using a rotation schedule defined in the secret's configuration, and it integrates directly with RDS to update the credentials on both the secret and the database.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Same concept, more angles
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company requires that all secrets (e.g., database passwords) used by Lambda functions be rotated automatically every 30 days. Which combination of services should be used?
hardWhy B: AWS Secrets Manager is the correct choice because it natively supports automatic secret rotation on a configurable schedule (e.g., every 30 days) using a Lambda function as the rotation handler. Secrets Manager directly integrates with Lambda to invoke the rotation logic, updating the secret value and propagating the change to the target database or service without custom infrastructure. CloudHSM, Parameter Store, and KMS do not provide built-in, scheduled rotation of secrets with automatic Lambda invocation.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This DOP-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 DOP-C02 exam.
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