- A
Disable two-factor authentication for the HSM to simplify management.
Why wrong: Disabling 2FA reduces security.
- B
Use AWS KMS to automatically rotate the CloudHSM partition password.
Why wrong: CloudHSM does not integrate with KMS for password rotation.
- C
Store the CloudHSM security officer (CO) password in AWS Secrets Manager.
Best practice to protect the CO password.
- D
Allow AWS to manage the CloudHSM cluster by granting AWS support access.
Why wrong: Customer manages the cluster; AWS support does not manage.
Question 1,094 of 1,705
ANS-C01 Network Security, Compliance and Governance Practice Question
This ANS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of network security, compliance and governance. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 using AWS CloudHSM to store sensitive encryption keys. Which of the following is a security best practice for managing the HSM?
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
✓
Store the CloudHSM security officer (CO) password in AWS Secrets Manager.
Option C is correct because storing the CloudHSM security officer (CO) password in AWS Secrets Manager is a security best practice. Secrets Manager provides secure storage, automatic rotation, and fine-grained access control for sensitive credentials, reducing the risk of exposure. Option A is incorrect because disabling two-factor authentication would weaken the security posture of the HSM. Option B is incorrect because AWS KMS cannot rotate CloudHSM partition passwords; KMS manages encryption keys, not HSM passwords. Option D is incorrect because granting AWS support access would compromise the customer-managed security model of CloudHSM, where only the customer controls the HSM cluster.
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.
- ✗
Disable two-factor authentication for the HSM to simplify management.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling 2FA reduces security.
- ✗
Use AWS KMS to automatically rotate the CloudHSM partition password.
Why it's wrong here
CloudHSM does not integrate with KMS for password rotation.
- ✓
Store the CloudHSM security officer (CO) password in AWS Secrets Manager.
Why this is correct
Best practice to protect the CO password.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Allow AWS to manage the CloudHSM cluster by granting AWS support access.
Why it's wrong here
Customer manages the cluster; AWS support does not manage.
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.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
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.
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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: Store the CloudHSM security officer (CO) password in AWS Secrets Manager. — Option C is correct because storing the CloudHSM security officer (CO) password in AWS Secrets Manager is a security best practice. Secrets Manager provides secure storage, automatic rotation, and fine-grained access control for sensitive credentials, reducing the risk of exposure. Option A is incorrect because disabling two-factor authentication would weaken the security posture of the HSM. Option B is incorrect because AWS KMS cannot rotate CloudHSM partition passwords; KMS manages encryption keys, not HSM passwords. Option D is incorrect because granting AWS support access would compromise the customer-managed security model of CloudHSM, where only the customer controls the HSM cluster.
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.
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?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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