- A
Store IAM user access keys in the application configuration file.
Why wrong: IAM user credentials are long-lived and should not be stored on EC2 instances.
- B
Configure security group rules to allow outbound traffic to S3 and DynamoDB endpoints.
Why wrong: Security groups control network traffic but do not grant access to S3 or DynamoDB API operations.
- C
Use AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store to store credentials and retrieve them at runtime using the instance's IAM role.
Why wrong: This still requires the instance to have an IAM role to access Parameter Store, but then the credentials from Parameter Store are still long-lived.
- D
Create an IAM role with policies granting access to S3 and DynamoDB, and attach the role to the EC2 instance profile.
The instance can obtain temporary credentials from the instance metadata service, eliminating the need for long-lived credentials.
Quick Answer
The correct approach is to create an IAM role with policies granting access to S3 and DynamoDB, and attach the role to the EC2 instance profile. This method avoids long-lived credentials because the EC2 instance automatically retrieves temporary, rotating credentials from the instance metadata service (IMDS), eliminating the need to store any static keys on the instance. On the AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty ANS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of secure credential management within VPC networking contexts, particularly when instances reside in private subnets without internet gateways. A common trap is confusing security groups—which control network traffic—with IAM permissions, or assuming that Systems Manager Parameter Store can bypass the need for credentials entirely. Remember the key principle: IAM roles for EC2 provide temporary credentials via IMDS, while any static credential (user keys or parameter store secrets) violates the best practice. Memory tip: “Role, not key—let IMDS set you free.”
ANS-C01 Network Security, Compliance and Governance Practice Question
This ANS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of network security, compliance and governance. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 deployed a web application on an EC2 instance that needs to access an S3 bucket and a DynamoDB table. The instance is in a private subnet. Which approach meets the security best practice of avoiding long-lived credentials on the instance?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
Create an IAM role with policies granting access to S3 and DynamoDB, and attach the role to the EC2 instance profile.
The best practice is to attach an IAM role with the necessary permissions to the EC2 instance. The instance will automatically obtain temporary credentials via the instance metadata service. Option C is correct. Option A (IAM user credentials) is not recommended as they are long-lived. Option B (AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store) still requires credentials to access the parameters. Option D (security groups) does not grant access to S3 or DynamoDB.
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.
- ✗
Store IAM user access keys in the application configuration file.
Why it's wrong here
IAM user credentials are long-lived and should not be stored on EC2 instances.
- ✗
Configure security group rules to allow outbound traffic to S3 and DynamoDB endpoints.
Why it's wrong here
Security groups control network traffic but do not grant access to S3 or DynamoDB API operations.
- ✗
Use AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store to store credentials and retrieve them at runtime using the instance's IAM role.
Why it's wrong here
This still requires the instance to have an IAM role to access Parameter Store, but then the credentials from Parameter Store are still long-lived.
- ✓
Create an IAM role with policies granting access to S3 and DynamoDB, and attach the role to the EC2 instance profile.
Why this is correct
The instance can obtain temporary credentials from the instance metadata service, eliminating the need for long-lived credentials.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
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 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.
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related ANS-C01 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
- →
Network Security, Compliance and Governance — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Network Security, Compliance and Governance practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All ANS-C01 questions
1,705 questions across all exam domains
- →
AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty ANS-C01 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
ANS-C01 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related ANS-C01 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Network Management and Operations practice questions
Practise ANS-C01 questions linked to Network Management and Operations.
Network Security, Compliance and Governance practice questions
Practise ANS-C01 questions linked to Network Security, Compliance and Governance.
Network Design practice questions
Practise ANS-C01 questions linked to Network Design.
Network Implementation practice questions
Practise ANS-C01 questions linked to Network Implementation.
ANS-C01 fundamentals practice questions
Practise ANS-C01 questions linked to ANS-C01 fundamentals.
ANS-C01 scenario practice questions
Practise ANS-C01 questions linked to ANS-C01 scenario.
ANS-C01 troubleshooting practice questions
Practise ANS-C01 questions linked to ANS-C01 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free ANS-C01 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this ANS-C01 question test?
Network Security, Compliance and Governance — This question tests Network Security, Compliance and Governance — CIDR notation defines the prefix length..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create an IAM role with policies granting access to S3 and DynamoDB, and attach the role to the EC2 instance profile. — The best practice is to attach an IAM role with the necessary permissions to the EC2 instance. The instance will automatically obtain temporary credentials via the instance metadata service. Option C is correct. Option A (IAM user credentials) is not recommended as they are long-lived. Option B (AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store) still requires credentials to access the parameters. Option D (security groups) does not grant access to S3 or DynamoDB.
What should I do if I get this ANS-C01 question wrong?
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related ANS-C01 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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 →
Keep practising
More ANS-C01 practice questions
- A company is designing a network security architecture for a multi-account environment using AWS Transit Gateway. The se…
- A company is using AWS Direct Connect to connect its on-premises network to AWS. The company wants to encrypt all traffi…
- A company uses AWS Transit Gateway to connect multiple VPCs and on-premises networks via AWS Site-to-Site VPN. The secur…
- A global e-commerce company uses a hub-and-spoke network topology with a transit VPC in us-east-1. Each spoke VPC has an…
- A company is designing a multi-VPC architecture in the same region. The VPCs need to communicate with each other using p…
- A company is deploying an application that requires low-latency communication between EC2 instances in two different AWS…
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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.
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.