- A
Add an HTTP listener on port 80 with a redirect action to HTTPS on port 443, and configure an HTTPS listener using an ACM certificate
Redirecting all HTTP requests to HTTPS forces clients to use TLS when they access the application. Configuring an HTTPS listener with an ACM certificate ensures the ALB terminates TLS on port 443 using a valid certificate, directly enforcing encryption in transit for client-to-ALB traffic.
- B
Enable TLS only on the target group so that traffic between the ALB and targets is encrypted, even if clients connect via HTTP
Why wrong: Encrypting traffic between the ALB and the targets does not satisfy the requirement, which is about client traffic. If clients still connect to the ALB using HTTP, their traffic is not encrypted in transit from the client to the ALB.
- C
Turn on S3 server-side encryption to ensure data is encrypted in transit from clients to the ALB
Why wrong: S3 server-side encryption protects data at rest in S3. It does not encrypt the client-to-ALB network connection, which is determined by the ALB listener protocol (HTTP vs HTTPS).
- D
Remove port 80 access by removing the port 80 listener and leave only a default target group
Why wrong: Removing the HTTP listener would cause HTTP clients to fail (no redirect or graceful migration path). A redirect to HTTPS both enforces HTTPS and maintains compatibility by guiding clients to the secure endpoint.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is to add an HTTP listener on port 80 with a redirect action to HTTPS on port 443, paired with an HTTPS listener using an ACM certificate. This is the best approach because the ALB’s native redirect action handles the HTTP-to-HTTPS enforcement at the load balancer level, requiring no changes to the application or client code—the ALB simply returns a 301 or 302 redirect response to the client, which then re-requests the resource over HTTPS. On the SAA-C03 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of listener rules and the difference between redirecting traffic versus forwarding it to a backend that performs the redirect; a common trap is choosing to modify the security group or the target group, which does not enforce the protocol change. Remember the key principle: ALB redirects are configured on the listener, not on the target group. Memory tip: think “80 redirects to 443” as the ALB’s built-in bouncer—it never lets HTTP traffic through to the backend.
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 web application behind an Application Load Balancer (ALB) currently allows client connections over HTTP (port 80). The security policy requires all client traffic to use HTTPS. What is the best ALB change to enforce this requirement?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
Add an HTTP listener on port 80 with a redirect action to HTTPS on port 443, and configure an HTTPS listener using an ACM certificate
Option A is correct because it uses an ALB HTTP-to-HTTPS redirect action, which is the most efficient and AWS-native way to enforce HTTPS-only traffic. The HTTP listener on port 80 automatically redirects all client requests to the HTTPS listener on port 443, which terminates TLS using an ACM certificate. This approach requires no changes to client applications and ensures compliance with the security policy at the load balancer level.
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.
- ✓
Add an HTTP listener on port 80 with a redirect action to HTTPS on port 443, and configure an HTTPS listener using an ACM certificate
Why this is correct
Redirecting all HTTP requests to HTTPS forces clients to use TLS when they access the application. Configuring an HTTPS listener with an ACM certificate ensures the ALB terminates TLS on port 443 using a valid certificate, directly enforcing encryption in transit for client-to-ALB traffic.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Enable TLS only on the target group so that traffic between the ALB and targets is encrypted, even if clients connect via HTTP
Why it's wrong here
Encrypting traffic between the ALB and the targets does not satisfy the requirement, which is about client traffic. If clients still connect to the ALB using HTTP, their traffic is not encrypted in transit from the client to the ALB.
- ✗
Turn on S3 server-side encryption to ensure data is encrypted in transit from clients to the ALB
- ✗
Remove port 80 access by removing the port 80 listener and leave only a default target group
Why it's wrong here
Removing the HTTP listener would cause HTTP clients to fail (no redirect or graceful migration path). A redirect to HTTPS both enforces HTTPS and maintains compatibility by guiding clients to the secure endpoint.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think removing the HTTP listener or enabling TLS on the target group is sufficient, but the correct approach is to use a redirect action on the HTTP listener to enforce HTTPS without breaking client connectivity.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The ALB redirect action uses an HTTP 301 or 302 status code to instruct the client's browser to retry the request over HTTPS. This is more efficient than configuring a web server on EC2 instances to handle the redirect, as it offloads the redirect processing to the load balancer and reduces latency. Additionally, the ALB can automatically renew ACM certificates, simplifying certificate management.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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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: Add an HTTP listener on port 80 with a redirect action to HTTPS on port 443, and configure an HTTPS listener using an ACM certificate — Option A is correct because it uses an ALB HTTP-to-HTTPS redirect action, which is the most efficient and AWS-native way to enforce HTTPS-only traffic. The HTTP listener on port 80 automatically redirects all client requests to the HTTPS listener on port 443, which terminates TLS using an ACM certificate. This approach requires no changes to client applications and ensures compliance with the security policy at the load balancer level.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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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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