Question 1hardmultiple choice
Full question →hardmultiple choiceObjective-mapped
Exhibit
VPC configuration: - Subnet-Private-A route table: local 10.0.0.0/16 only - Subnet-Private-B route table: local 10.0.0.0/16 only - No 0.0.0.0/0 route to an Internet Gateway or NAT Gateway Existing endpoints: - com.amazonaws.us-east-1.s3 (Gateway endpoint) Application log: ERROR: Unable to retrieve secret arn:aws:secretsmanager:us-east-1:111122223333:secret:prod/api/db ERROR: connect timeout to secretsmanager.us-east-1.amazonaws.com ERROR: KMS Decrypt access not completed
Based on the exhibit, an EC2 application runs in private subnets with no NAT gateway and must retrieve a secret from AWS Secrets Manager. The secret uses a customer managed KMS key. Which change will allow the application to reach the service while keeping traffic off the internet?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Best answer
Create an interface VPC endpoint for Secrets Manager and another interface VPC endpoint for KMS, and enable private DNS for both.
Secrets Manager is an interface endpoint service, and the customer managed KMS key means the application also needs private access to KMS for decrypt operations. Private DNS lets the SDK resolve standard service names to the VPC endpoints, keeping all traffic inside AWS private networking.
B
Distractor review
Create an S3 gateway endpoint for Secrets Manager and use the existing S3 gateway endpoint for both secret retrieval and KMS decryption.
Gateway endpoints are not used for Secrets Manager or KMS. They are specifically for supported services such as S3 and DynamoDB. The existing S3 endpoint does not provide network path or name resolution for the secret or decrypt operations.
C
Distractor review
Add a NAT gateway in a public subnet and route 0.0.0.0/0 from the private subnets to the NAT gateway.
A NAT gateway would allow outbound internet access, but the requirement says to keep traffic off the internet. It would also introduce additional cost and does not meet the private connectivity constraint. AWS PrivateLink endpoints are the correct design.
D
Distractor review
Move the application into a public subnet so it can call the public Secrets Manager endpoint directly.
Moving the workload to a public subnet increases exposure and violates the stated requirement to avoid internet egress. The goal is private service access from private subnets, not public internet connectivity.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: usable hosts are not the same as total addresses
Subnetting questions often tempt you into counting all addresses. In normal IPv4 subnets, the network and broadcast addresses are not usable host addresses.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
Subnetting questions test whether you can identify the network, broadcast address, usable range, mask and correct subnet. Slow down enough to calculate the block size correctly.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
- Block size helps identify subnet boundaries.
- Network and broadcast addresses are not usable hosts in normal IPv4 subnets.
- The required host count determines the smallest suitable subnet.
TExam Day Tips
- Write the block size before choosing the subnet.
- Check whether the question asks for hosts, subnets or a specific address range.
- Do not confuse /24, /25, /26 and /27 host counts.
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Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
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Question 2
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Question 5
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAA-C03 question test?
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create an interface VPC endpoint for Secrets Manager and another interface VPC endpoint for KMS, and enable private DNS for both. — The application needs interface endpoints because Secrets Manager and KMS are interface endpoint services, not gateway endpoint services. Since the secret is encrypted with a customer managed key, the app must be able to reach both services privately. Enabling private DNS keeps the standard AWS service names working while directing the traffic through AWS PrivateLink, which satisfies the no-internet requirement. An S3 gateway endpoint does not apply to Secrets Manager or KMS. A NAT gateway would send traffic to public AWS endpoints over the internet path, which the requirement prohibits. Moving the workload to a public subnet is also incompatible with the private-only security requirement. The correct solution is private interface endpoints with DNS integration.
What should I do if I get this SAA-C03 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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