The answer is that no additional action is required because all traffic over a VPC peering connection within the same region is automatically encrypted. AWS encrypts inter-VPC traffic at the physical network layer using bulk encryption, meaning data in transit between peered VPCs is already protected without any configuration from the engineer. On the AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty ANS-C01 exam, this concept tests your understanding of the shared responsibility model and AWS’s default security posture—many candidates fall into the trap of overcomplicating the solution by adding VPNs or Transit Gateways when the question explicitly states the VPCs are in the same region and already peered. The key memory tip is “same region, same encryption”—AWS handles it automatically, so don’t add extra layers unless cross-region or compliance requirements dictate otherwise.
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 network engineer needs to ensure that all traffic between two VPCs (VPC A and VPC B) is encrypted in transit. The VPCs are in the same region and are connected via a VPC peering connection. What should the engineer do?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
No additional action is required; all traffic over VPC peering is automatically encrypted.
Option D is correct because VPC peering traffic within the same region is already encrypted automatically by AWS. Option A is wrong because VPN over peering is not supported. Option B is wrong because Transit Gateway introduces unnecessary complexity. Option C is wrong because traffic is already encrypted; application-level encryption is an option but not required.
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.
✗
Establish a VPN connection between the VPCs over the peering connection.
Why it's wrong here
VPN over peering is not a supported configuration.
✓
No additional action is required; all traffic over VPC peering is automatically encrypted.
Why this is correct
AWS encrypts all traffic within the AWS network.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Implement application-level encryption such as TLS.
Why it's wrong here
While this would work, it is not necessary because the physical network is already encrypted.
✗
Use AWS Transit Gateway with VPN attachments between VPCs.
Why it's wrong here
Transit Gateway does not add encryption for inter-VPC traffic beyond what peering provides.
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 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: No additional action is required; all traffic over VPC peering is automatically encrypted. — Option D is correct because VPC peering traffic within the same region is already encrypted automatically by AWS. Option A is wrong because VPN over peering is not supported. Option B is wrong because Transit Gateway introduces unnecessary complexity. Option C is wrong because traffic is already encrypted; application-level encryption is an option but not required.
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. A security engineer needs to ensure that all traffic between two VPCs in the same region is encrypted in transit. The VPCs are connected via a VPC peering connection. What should the engineer do to meet this requirement?
easy
A.Set up a VPN connection between the two VPCs and route traffic through it.
D.Use AWS Transit Gateway to connect the VPCs and enable encryption.
Why C: Option A is correct because VPC peering traffic is already encrypted automatically. Option B is wrong because VPN is not needed. Option C is wrong because Transit Gateway does not add encryption beyond what VPC peering provides. Option D is wrong because NACLs do not encrypt traffic.
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.