- A
Store the secrets in the Elastic Beanstalk environment configuration as plain text under 'aws:elasticbeanstalk:application:environment'.
Why wrong: Storing secrets in plain text is insecure and not recommended.
- B
Configure Secrets Manager to automatically push secrets to Elastic Beanstalk environment properties.
Why wrong: Secrets Manager does not support push notifications to Elastic Beanstalk.
- C
Use an Elastic Beanstalk platform hook script that retrieves secrets from Secrets Manager and sets them as environment variables.
Platform hooks can run scripts during deployment to fetch secrets and set environment variables.
- D
Use AWS CloudFormation dynamic references to inject secrets into the Elastic Beanstalk environment.
Why wrong: Dynamic references are for CloudFormation resources, not for Elastic Beanstalk environment properties.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is to use an Elastic Beanstalk platform hook script that retrieves secrets from Secrets Manager and sets them as environment variables. This approach is technically sound because platform hooks execute custom scripts during the deployment lifecycle, specifically before the application starts, allowing the script to call the Secrets Manager API to fetch the latest secret values and export them as environment variables for the running process. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to decouple secret storage from environment configuration while supporting automatic rotation—a common trap is assuming that environment properties in the Elastic Beanstalk console or ebextensions can securely store rotated secrets, but those values are static and visible in the configuration. The key insight is that rotation happens at deployment time, not at runtime, so the script must fetch the current secret on each deployment. Memory tip: think "hook and fetch" — the platform hook fetches fresh secrets before the app launches.
DOP-C02 Configuration Management and IaC Practice Question
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of configuration management and iac. 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 uses AWS Elastic Beanstalk to deploy a web application. The application requires environment-specific configuration values (database URL, API keys) that must be stored securely and rotated automatically. The team uses AWS Secrets Manager. Which configuration management strategy should the team implement to securely inject secrets into the Elastic Beanstalk environment?
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
Use an Elastic Beanstalk platform hook script that retrieves secrets from Secrets Manager and sets them as environment variables.
Option C is correct because Elastic Beanstalk platform hooks allow custom scripts to run during deployment, enabling retrieval of secrets from AWS Secrets Manager and setting them as environment variables before the application starts. This approach keeps secrets out of the environment configuration and supports automatic rotation by having the script fetch the latest secret value on each deployment.
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 secrets in the Elastic Beanstalk environment configuration as plain text under 'aws:elasticbeanstalk:application:environment'.
Why it's wrong here
Storing secrets in plain text is insecure and not recommended.
- ✗
Configure Secrets Manager to automatically push secrets to Elastic Beanstalk environment properties.
Why it's wrong here
Secrets Manager does not support push notifications to Elastic Beanstalk.
- ✓
Use an Elastic Beanstalk platform hook script that retrieves secrets from Secrets Manager and sets them as environment variables.
Why this is correct
Platform hooks can run scripts during deployment to fetch secrets and set environment variables.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use AWS CloudFormation dynamic references to inject secrets into the Elastic Beanstalk environment.
Why it's wrong here
Dynamic references are for CloudFormation resources, not for Elastic Beanstalk environment properties.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume CloudFormation dynamic references (Option D) are the best fit for automatic rotation, but they only inject secrets at deployment time and do not handle in-place rotation without a stack update, whereas platform hooks can be used to fetch the latest secret on every instance start or deployment.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Elastic Beanstalk platform hooks (e.g., .platform/hooks/predeploy) execute shell scripts as the root user during the deployment lifecycle, allowing secure retrieval of secrets via the AWS CLI or SDK. The script can use the IAM instance profile attached to the Elastic Beanstalk environment to call Secrets Manager's GetSecretValue API, then export the secret as an environment variable (e.g., export DATABASE_URL=$(aws secretsmanager get-secret-value --secret-id my-secret --query SecretString --output text)). This method ensures that the secret is never stored in the environment configuration or application code, and the script can be triggered on each deployment to pick up the latest rotated value.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DOP-C02 question test?
Configuration Management and IaC — This question tests Configuration Management and IaC — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use an Elastic Beanstalk platform hook script that retrieves secrets from Secrets Manager and sets them as environment variables. — Option C is correct because Elastic Beanstalk platform hooks allow custom scripts to run during deployment, enabling retrieval of secrets from AWS Secrets Manager and setting them as environment variables before the application starts. This approach keeps secrets out of the environment configuration and supports automatic rotation by having the script fetch the latest secret value on each deployment.
What should I do if I get this DOP-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.
About these practice questions
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Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on DOP-C02
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. An organization uses AWS Elastic Beanstalk to deploy a Node.js application. The application requires access to an Amazon RDS database. The database credentials are stored in AWS Secrets Manager. How should the Elastic Beanstalk environment be configured to securely retrieve the database credentials at runtime?
medium- A.In the Elastic Beanstalk environment properties, set the database password to the ARN of the secret in Secrets Manager.
- B.Configure the Elastic Beanstalk environment to use the Amazon RDS integration feature, and select the option to retrieve credentials from Secrets Manager in the environment's software configuration.
- ✓ C.Use a configuration file (.ebextensions) to define an option setting that retrieves the secret from Secrets Manager and sets it as an environment variable.
- D.Modify the EC2 instance profile of the Elastic Beanstalk environment to grant read access to the Secrets Manager secret, and use the AWS CLI in the application code to retrieve the secret.
Why C: Option C is correct because it uses an .ebextensions configuration file to define a command or script that retrieves the secret from AWS Secrets Manager at deployment time and sets it as an environment variable. This approach ensures the secret is fetched securely via the AWS SDK or CLI, using the instance profile for permissions, and avoids hardcoding credentials in environment properties or application code. It aligns with AWS best practices for dynamic secret retrieval in Elastic Beanstalk.
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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