Quick Answer
The answer is the Application Load Balancer. AWS WAF integrates directly with ALBs to inspect and filter HTTP/HTTPS traffic at the application layer, allowing you to block IP addresses like 203.0.113.0/24 by associating a web ACL with the load balancer. This works because AWS WAF operates on Layer 7, examining request headers and source IPs before traffic reaches the ALB, whereas Network Load Balancers operate at Layer 4 and do not support WAF associations. On the AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty ANS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of which AWS services can host a web ACL—a common trap is confusing ALB with NLB or thinking a security group can replace WAF for IP blocking. Remember that security groups provide stateful filtering at the instance level, but they cannot inspect application-layer traffic or integrate with WAF rules. A quick memory tip: WAF works with web traffic, so associate it with a web-facing ALB, not a network-facing NLB.
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 wants to block inbound traffic from a specific IP address range (203.0.113.0/24) at the VPC level using AWS WAF. Which resource should the AWS WAF web ACL be associated with?
Application Load Balancer
AWS WAF can be associated with ALB to filter web traffic.
Network Load Balancer
Why wrong: NLB does not support AWS WAF.
VPC peering connection
Why wrong: VPC peering cannot have a web ACL.
Security group
Why wrong: Security groups are stateful but not used for AWS WAF.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Application Load Balancer
Option A is correct because AWS WAF can be associated with an Application Load Balancer to filter HTTP/HTTPS traffic. Option B is wrong because NLB does not support AWS WAF. Option C is wrong because VPC peering does not have a web ACL. Option D is wrong because a security group is used for stateful filtering, but AWS WAF is a separate service for web traffic.
Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Application Load Balancer
Why this is correct
AWS WAF can be associated with ALB to filter web traffic.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
Network Load Balancer
Why it's wrong here
NLB does not support AWS WAF.
VPC peering connection
Why it's wrong here
VPC peering cannot have a web ACL.
Security group
Why it's wrong here
Security groups are stateful but not used for AWS WAF.
Common exam traps
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Detailed technical explanation
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
Key takeaway
ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
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
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related ANS-C01 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
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FAQ
Network Security, Compliance and Governance — This question tests Network Security, Compliance and Governance — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
The correct answer is: Application Load Balancer — Option A is correct because AWS WAF can be associated with an Application Load Balancer to filter HTTP/HTTPS traffic. Option B is wrong because NLB does not support AWS WAF. Option C is wrong because VPC peering does not have a web ACL. Option D is wrong because a security group is used for stateful filtering, but AWS WAF is a separate service for web traffic.
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related ANS-C01 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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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 wants to block incoming traffic from specific IP addresses at the edge of the AWS network before it reaches the application load balancer. Which AWS service should be used?
easyWhy A: Option B is correct because AWS WAF can be associated with an Application Load Balancer to filter incoming traffic based on IP addresses. Option A is wrong because Security Groups are stateful firewalls that operate at the instance level, not at the edge. Option C is wrong because Network ACLs operate at the subnet level and do not inspect HTTP traffic. Option D is wrong because CloudFront is a CDN that can be used with WAF, but the question specifies blocking at the edge before the ALB.
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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.
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