The answer is AWS Site-to-Site VPN, AWS Client VPN, and a VPN over AWS Direct Connect. These three methods are valid because they all leverage IPsec tunnels to encrypt data in transit between on-premises and a VPC over the internet, ensuring confidentiality and integrity against eavesdropping. On the AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty ANS-C01 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between connectivity services that provide native encryption versus those that do not; a common trap is assuming Direct Connect alone encrypts traffic, but it only provides a private physical link—encryption requires an overlay VPN. VPC Peering and VPC Endpoints are frequent distractors because they are designed for VPC-to-VPC or private AWS service access, not for on-premises connectivity over the internet. Remember the mnemonic: “VPNs encrypt, Direct Connect does not—unless you stack a VPN on top.”
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.
Which THREE are valid methods to secure data in transit between a VPC and an on-premises network over the internet? (Choose three.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
AWS Direct Connect with a VPN
Options A, C, and D are correct. A VPN connection uses IPsec to encrypt traffic. Client VPN provides secure tunnels for individual clients. Direct Connect is a physical connection but does not encrypt; however, a VPN over Direct Connect does encrypt. Option B is wrong because VPC Peering is for VPC-to-VPC, not for on-premises. Option E is wrong because VPC Endpoints are for private AWS service access, not for on-premises connectivity.
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.
✗
VPC Endpoint (Gateway or Interface)
Why it's wrong here
VPC Endpoints provide private access to AWS services, not to on-premises.
✓
AWS Direct Connect with a VPN
Why this is correct
Combines Direct Connect for reliability and VPN for encryption.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
AWS Client VPN
Why this is correct
Allows individual clients to securely connect to the VPC over the internet.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
VPC Peering
Why it's wrong here
VPC Peering connects VPCs, not on-premises networks.
✓
AWS Site-to-Site VPN
Why this is correct
Creates an IPsec tunnel over the internet to encrypt traffic.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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 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
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 Direct Connect with a VPN — Options A, C, and D are correct. A VPN connection uses IPsec to encrypt traffic. Client VPN provides secure tunnels for individual clients. Direct Connect is a physical connection but does not encrypt; however, a VPN over Direct Connect does encrypt. Option B is wrong because VPC Peering is for VPC-to-VPC, not for on-premises. Option E is wrong because VPC Endpoints are for private AWS service access, not for on-premises connectivity.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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. Which TWO of the following are valid ways to encrypt data in transit between an on-premises data center and an Amazon VPC? (Choose two.)
medium
✓ A.Use AWS Site-to-Site VPN.
B.Use AWS Direct Connect without any additional encryption.
✓ C.Use AWS Direct Connect with a VPN tunnel over the connection.
D.Use VPC peering.
E.Use an internet gateway with a security group.
Why A: Options A and C are correct. AWS Site-to-Site VPN creates an IPSec tunnel, encrypting all traffic. AWS Direct Connect can be combined with a VPN over the connection to encrypt traffic. Option B is incorrect because Direct Connect alone does not provide encryption. Option D is incorrect because VPC peering does not encrypt traffic. Option E is incorrect because internet gateway does not encrypt traffic.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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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.
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