The answer is AWS Lambda and AWS Secrets Manager working together to automatically rotate database credentials. Secrets Manager stores the credentials securely and manages the rotation schedule, while Lambda executes a custom rotation function that updates the password in both the database and the secret. This combination ensures credentials are rotated without manual intervention, reducing the risk of compromised static passwords. On the AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty ANS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to integrate security services with serverless compute to enforce compliance policies like 90-day rotation. A common trap is assuming IAM roles alone handle rotation, but Lambda is the engine that actually performs the database update. Remember the mnemonic: “Secrets store, Lambda chore” — Secrets Manager holds the key, Lambda turns it.
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 wants to securely store database credentials and automatically rotate them every 90 days. Which TWO AWS services can work together to achieve this? (Choose TWO.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
AWS Secrets Manager
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
AWS Secrets Manager
Why this is correct
Secrets Manager stores secrets and has built-in rotation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
AWS CloudHSM
Why it's wrong here
CloudHSM is for key storage, not secret management.
✗
AWS Key Management Service (KMS)
Why it's wrong here
KMS encrypts secrets but does not store or rotate them.
✓
AWS Lambda
Why this is correct
Lambda can be used as a custom rotation function for Secrets Manager.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store
Why it's wrong here
Parameter Store can store secrets but does not have native rotation.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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.
Identify which ANS-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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: AWS Secrets Manager
What should I do if I get this ANS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which ANS-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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
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