The answer is AWS Secrets Manager and AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store. These two AWS services to store secrets are correct because Secrets Manager is purpose-built for managing the lifecycle of sensitive data like database credentials and API keys, offering automatic rotation and fine-grained access control, while Parameter Store provides a secure, hierarchical store for configuration data and secrets with optional encryption via AWS KMS. On the AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty ANS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of secure secret management in a networking context, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly choose S3 (which lacks default encryption) or IAM (which handles identities, not secrets). A common memory tip is to associate “Secrets” with “Rotation” for Secrets Manager and “Parameters” with “Configuration” for Parameter Store—both are encrypted, but only one rotates automatically.
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 secrets such as database credentials and API keys. Which TWO AWS services can be used for this purpose? (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 Systems Manager Parameter Store
Option B (AWS Secrets Manager) and Option D (AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store) are correct. Secrets Manager is designed for secrets with automatic rotation. Parameter Store can store secrets securely with encryption. Option A (S3) is not secure by default. Option C (CloudFormation) is for infrastructure as code. Option E (IAM) is for users and roles.
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.
✓
AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store
Why this is correct
Parameter Store can store secrets securely with encryption.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Amazon S3
Why it's wrong here
S3 is not designed for secret storage; requires additional encryption and access controls.
✗
AWS CloudFormation
Why it's wrong here
CloudFormation is for provisioning infrastructure, not for storing secrets.
✓
AWS Secrets Manager
Why this is correct
Secrets Manager is purpose-built for storing secrets with automatic rotation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM)
Why it's wrong here
IAM manages permissions, not secrets.
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 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.
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 Systems Manager Parameter Store — Option B (AWS Secrets Manager) and Option D (AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store) are correct. Secrets Manager is designed for secrets with automatic rotation. Parameter Store can store secrets securely with encryption. Option A (S3) is not secure by default. Option C (CloudFormation) is for infrastructure as code. Option E (IAM) is for users and roles.
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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