- A
Use security group rules that reference other security groups as sources.
This allows allowing traffic from instances in another security group, enforcing tier-to-tier access.
- B
Configure security groups to allow only necessary traffic between tiers.
Security groups provide stateful filtering at the instance level.
- C
Configure network ACLs (NACLs) to allow only necessary traffic between subnets as a defense-in-depth measure.
NACLs provide stateless filtering at the subnet level.
- D
Enable VPC Flow Logs on all subnets and send logs to Amazon S3.
Why wrong: Flow Logs are for monitoring, not enforcement.
- E
Attach an internet gateway to the VPC and add a default route to the internet gateway in the web tier subnet's route table.
Why wrong: This is needed for internet access but does not enforce tier-to-tier restrictions.
ANS-C01 Network Security, Compliance and Governance Practice Question
This ANS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of network security, compliance and governance. 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 is designing a network security architecture for a VPC that hosts a multi-tier application. The security team requires that the web tier can only be accessed from the internet, the application tier can only be accessed from the web tier, and the database tier can only be accessed from the application tier. Additionally, the team needs to ensure that no traffic can bypass these controls. Which THREE actions should the team take?
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 security group rules that reference other security groups as sources.
Security group rules can reference other security groups as sources, which allows the web tier security group to permit traffic only from the application tier security group, and the application tier security group to permit traffic only from the database tier security group. This creates a logical, stateful firewall that enforces the required traffic flow between tiers without relying on IP addresses, ensuring that no traffic can bypass the controls even if subnet configurations change.
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.
- ✓
Use security group rules that reference other security groups as sources.
Why this is correct
This allows allowing traffic from instances in another security group, enforcing tier-to-tier access.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Configure security groups to allow only necessary traffic between tiers.
Why this is correct
Security groups provide stateful filtering at the instance level.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Configure network ACLs (NACLs) to allow only necessary traffic between subnets as a defense-in-depth measure.
Why this is correct
NACLs provide stateless filtering at the subnet level.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Enable VPC Flow Logs on all subnets and send logs to Amazon S3.
Why it's wrong here
Flow Logs are for monitoring, not enforcement.
- ✗
Attach an internet gateway to the VPC and add a default route to the internet gateway in the web tier subnet's route table.
Why it's wrong here
This is needed for internet access but does not enforce tier-to-tier restrictions.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse VPC Flow Logs (a monitoring tool) with a security control, or they mistakenly think that adding an internet gateway alone enforces the tier-to-tier access rules, when in fact the correct actions must directly restrict traffic flow between tiers using security group references, security group rules, and NACLs.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Security group references work by evaluating the source security group's network interfaces (ENIs) as the allowed source, which means traffic is permitted based on the group membership rather than CIDR blocks. This approach is particularly useful in dynamic environments where instances are auto-scaled, as new instances automatically inherit the security group and become valid sources without manual route or ACL updates. Network ACLs provide stateless, subnet-level filtering that can block traffic at the subnet boundary, adding a defense-in-depth layer that catches misconfigurations or compromised instances attempting lateral movement.
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 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
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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 — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use security group rules that reference other security groups as sources. — Security group rules can reference other security groups as sources, which allows the web tier security group to permit traffic only from the application tier security group, and the application tier security group to permit traffic only from the database tier security group. This creates a logical, stateful firewall that enforces the required traffic flow between tiers without relying on IP addresses, ensuring that no traffic can bypass the controls even if subnet configurations change.
What should I do if I get this ANS-C01 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.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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.
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