The answer is to enable MACsec on the Direct Connect connection. MACsec, or Media Access Control Security, provides encryption at Layer 2, securing traffic directly between your on-premises router and the AWS Direct Connect location without relying on higher-layer protocols. This is the correct solution because it encrypts the data link layer itself, ensuring confidentiality and integrity for all traffic traversing the physical connection, unlike IPsec which would require an overlay over the internet, or TLS which operates at the application layer. On the AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty ANS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of encryption options for hybrid networking, often appearing as a trap where candidates confuse MACsec with IPsec VPN or assume TLS is sufficient for link-level security. A common memory tip is to think of MACsec as “MAC-layer security” for the direct physical link, while IPsec is for network-layer tunnels over the internet. Remember: MACsec for the wire, IPsec for the cloud.
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 uses AWS Direct Connect to connect their on-premises network to AWS. They want to encrypt all traffic between their on-premises router and the AWS Direct Connect location. Which solution should they implement?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable MACsec on the Direct Connect connection.
Option C is correct: MACsec provides encryption at Layer 2 for Direct Connect. Option A is wrong because IPsecVPN over the internet is not over Direct Connect. Option B is wrong because TLS is for application layer. Option D is wrong because AWS PrivateLink is for VPC endpoints.
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.
✗
Use an IPsec VPN over the internet for additional encryption.
Why it's wrong here
This bypasses Direct Connect.
✗
Use AWS PrivateLink to create a secure connection.
Why it's wrong here
PrivateLink is for accessing services, not link encryption.
✓
Enable MACsec on the Direct Connect connection.
Why this is correct
MACsec encrypts the Direct Connect link at Layer 2.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use TLS to encrypt the traffic at the application layer.
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 healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
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: Enable MACsec on the Direct Connect connection. — Option C is correct: MACsec provides encryption at Layer 2 for Direct Connect. Option A is wrong because IPsec VPN over the internet is not over Direct Connect. Option B is wrong because TLS is for application layer. Option D is wrong because AWS PrivateLink is for VPC endpoints.
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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