- A
No additional configuration is needed; VPC peering traffic is automatically encrypted.
Why wrong: Incorrect. Same-region VPC peering traffic is not automatically encrypted. Only inter-region VPC peering is encrypted automatically by AWS.
- B
Create a VPN connection between the two VPCs using the VPC peering connection.
Why wrong: Incorrect. You cannot create a VPN connection using a VPC peering connection; VPN requires a virtual private gateway or transit gateway.
- C
Use AWS Transit Gateway with VPN attachments between the VPCs.
Why wrong: Incorrect. While Transit Gateway with VPN attachments can encrypt traffic, this adds unnecessary complexity and cost. A simpler solution is to configure IPsec on the EC2 instances.
- D
Configure IPsec on the EC2 instances to encrypt traffic over the VPC peering connection.
Correct. To encrypt traffic over a same-region VPC peering connection, you must configure IPsec on the EC2 instances involved. This ensures encryption at the application layer.
ANS-C01 VPC Peering Encryption Practice Question
This ANS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of network design. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. A key principle to apply: vPC Peering Encryption. 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 deploying a critical application on AWS and needs to ensure that traffic between two VPCs in the same region is encrypted in transit. The VPCs are connected via a VPC peering connection. What should the network engineer do to meet the encryption requirement?
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
Configure IPsec on the EC2 instances to encrypt traffic over the VPC peering connection.
For same-region VPC peering, AWS does not automatically encrypt traffic in transit. Traffic between VPCs in the same region over a peering connection is not encrypted by default. To meet the encryption requirement, you must configure IPsec on the EC2 instances to encrypt the traffic. Inter-region VPC peering automatically encrypts traffic, but that does not apply here.
Key principle: VPC Peering Encryption
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
No additional configuration is needed; VPC peering traffic is automatically encrypted.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Same-region VPC peering traffic is not automatically encrypted. Only inter-region VPC peering is encrypted automatically by AWS.
- ✗
Create a VPN connection between the two VPCs using the VPC peering connection.
- ✗
Use AWS Transit Gateway with VPN attachments between the VPCs.
- ✓
Configure IPsec on the EC2 instances to encrypt traffic over the VPC peering connection.
Why this is correct
Correct. To encrypt traffic over a same-region VPC peering connection, you must configure IPsec on the EC2 instances involved. This ensures encryption at the application layer.
Related concept
VPC Peering Encryption
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Candidates often assume that all VPC peering traffic is encrypted automatically because inter-region VPC peering is encrypted. However, same-region VPC peering is not encrypted at the transit layer, and additional measures like IPsec are required.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS encrypts inter-VPC traffic over VPC peering connections using a combination of MACsec (IEEE 802.1AE) at the physical layer and other AWS internal encryption mechanisms, ensuring data is protected in transit without user intervention. This encryption is transparent to the instances and operates at the network infrastructure level, meaning no additional configuration or performance impact is incurred. In a real-world scenario, this simplifies compliance with encryption requirements for regulated workloads, as the encryption is inherent and auditable via AWS CloudTrail and VPC Flow Logs.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- VPC Peering Encryption
- IPsec
TExam Day Tips
- 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
VPC Peering Encryption
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.
Quick reference
VPN Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Port | Encryption | Authentication | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IKEv2 / IPsec | UDP 500 / 4500 | AES-256 | Certificates / PSK | Site-to-site & remote access |
| SSL / TLS VPN | TCP 443 | TLS 1.3 | Certificates / MFA | Clientless remote access |
| L2TP / IPsec | UDP 1701 | AES (IPsec) | PSK / Certificates | Legacy remote access |
| WireGuard | UDP 51820 | ChaCha20 | Public keys | Modern high-performance VPN |
| PPTP | TCP 1723 | MPPE (weak) | MS-CHAPv2 | Legacy — avoid in production |
PPTP is considered insecure. IKEv2/IPsec and SSL VPN are the current recommended options.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review vPC Peering Encryption, then practise related ANS-C01 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this ANS-C01 question test?
Network Design — This question tests Network Design — VPC Peering Encryption.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure IPsec on the EC2 instances to encrypt traffic over the VPC peering connection. — For same-region VPC peering, AWS does not automatically encrypt traffic in transit. Traffic between VPCs in the same region over a peering connection is not encrypted by default. To meet the encryption requirement, you must configure IPsec on the EC2 instances to encrypt the traffic. Inter-region VPC peering automatically encrypts traffic, but that does not apply here.
What should I do if I get this ANS-C01 question wrong?
Review vPC Peering Encryption, then practise related ANS-C01 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
VPC Peering Encryption
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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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