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Quick Answer
The correct answer includes using a security group on the ECS tasks that allows inbound traffic only from the ALB's security group. This works because deploying ECS Fargate tasks in private subnets behind an internal ALB ensures that all traffic between the ALB and tasks stays within the AWS network, never traversing the public internet, while enabling encryption at rest on ElastiCache for Redis with a customer-managed KMS key secures the session data as mandated. On the SAA-C03 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of combining network isolation with data protection—a common trap is to choose public subnets or forget that encryption at rest requires explicitly enabling it on the ElastiCache cluster, not just using a transit gateway. A useful memory tip is “private ALB, private subnet, security group lock,” which reminds you that internal load balancers paired with security group referencing and encrypted ElastiCache cover both traffic and data security requirements.
SAA-C03 Design Secure Architectures Practice Question
This SAA-C03 practice question tests your understanding of design secure architectures. 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 is hosting a web application on Amazon ECS Fargate behind an Application Load Balancer. The application needs to authenticate users using Amazon Cognito and store session data in Amazon ElastiCache for Redis. The security team mandates that all traffic between the ALB and ECS tasks must not traverse the public internet, and that session data in ElastiCache is encrypted at rest. Which three steps should be taken to meet these requirements? (Choose three.)
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
✓
Deploy the ECS tasks in private subnets and configure the ALB as an internal load balancer.
Deploying ECS tasks in private subnets with an internal ALB ensures traffic between the ALB and tasks does not traverse the public internet, as internal load balancers have only private IP addresses. Enabling encryption at rest on ElastiCache for Redis with a customer-managed KMS key meets the security mandate for encrypted session data. Using a security group on ECS tasks that allows inbound traffic only from the ALB's security group provides a precise, stateful firewall rule that enforces the traffic flow restriction.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'encryption at rest' with 'in-transit encryption' or think that placing tasks in public subnets with network ACLs is sufficient to prevent public internet traffic, but network ACLs are stateless and cannot guarantee traffic only from the ALB, and public subnets still have a route to the internet gateway.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
An internal Application Load Balancer operates within a VPC and has only private IP addresses, so traffic from the ALB to ECS tasks in private subnets stays within the VPC and never traverses the internet. ElastiCache for Redis encryption at rest uses AES-256 encryption, and when a customer-managed KMS key is specified, the key is used to encrypt the Redis cluster's data and logs; this is separate from in-transit encryption (TLS) which protects data during network transfer. Security group rules are stateful, meaning return traffic is automatically allowed, making them ideal for restricting inbound traffic to a specific source security group (the ALB's) without needing to manage ephemeral ports.
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.
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
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
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAA-C03 question test?
Design Secure Architectures — This question tests Design Secure Architectures — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Deploy the ECS tasks in private subnets and configure the ALB as an internal load balancer. — Deploying ECS tasks in private subnets with an internal ALB ensures traffic between the ALB and tasks does not traverse the public internet, as internal load balancers have only private IP addresses. Enabling encryption at rest on ElastiCache for Redis with a customer-managed KMS key meets the security mandate for encrypted session data. Using a security group on ECS tasks that allows inbound traffic only from the ALB's security group provides a precise, stateful firewall rule that enforces the traffic flow restriction.
What should I do if I get this SAA-C03 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This SAA-C03 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 SAA-C03 exam.
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