ANS-C01 Network Implementation Practice Question
A company has a Direct Connect connection with a private VIF to a VPC. The VPC has a subnet that hosts an EC2 instance with a sensitive database. The company wants to add an extra layer of encryption for traffic between the on-premises network and the EC2 instance. Which solution should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
The ANS-C01 exam often tests the misconception that Direct Connect private VIFs are inherently encrypted, leading candidates to overlook the need for an additional encryption layer like IPsec, or they confuse encryption at rest (KMS) with encryption in transit.
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
✓
Set up an IPsec VPN tunnel over the Direct Connect private VIF
An IPsec VPN tunnel over a Direct Connect private VIF adds an extra layer of encryption to traffic between on-premises and the EC2 instance. Direct Connect private VIFs provide a private, isolated connection but do not encrypt data by default; IPsec encrypts the IP payload at Layer 3, ensuring confidentiality over the physical link. This meets the requirement for an additional encryption layer without altering the application or network stack on the EC2 instance.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Enable TLS on the EC2 instance
Why it's wrong here
TLS is application-specific; it does not encrypt all network traffic.
- ✗
Use an SSL certificate on the on-premises router
Why it's wrong here
SSL is for web traffic, not for encrypting all traffic over Direct Connect.
- ✗
Use AWS Key Management Service (KMS) to encrypt the traffic
Why it's wrong here
KMS is for encryption key management, not for encrypting network traffic.
- ✓
Set up an IPsec VPN tunnel over the Direct Connect private VIF
Why this is correct
IPsec VPN provides encryption at the network layer over the Direct Connect connection.
Visual reference
Quick reference
VPN Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Port | Encryption | Authentication | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IKEv2 / IPsec | UDP 500 / 4500 | AES-256 | Certificates / PSK | Site-to-site & remote access |
| SSL / TLS VPN | TCP 443 | TLS 1.3 | Certificates / MFA | Clientless remote access |
| L2TP / IPsec | UDP 1701 | AES (IPsec) | PSK / Certificates | Legacy remote access |
| WireGuard | UDP 51820 | ChaCha20 | Public keys | Modern high-performance VPN |
| PPTP | TCP 1723 | MPPE (weak) | MS-CHAPv2 | Legacy — avoid in production |
PPTP is considered insecure. IKEv2/IPsec and SSL VPN are the current recommended options.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This ANS-C01 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 ANS-C01 exam.