- A
Enable AWS WAF with AWS Managed Rules and associate the web ACL with the CloudFront distribution.
AWS WAF inspects HTTP(S) requests and applies allow/block decisions based on rule matches. AWS Managed Rules provide prebuilt protections for common threat patterns, and attaching the WAF web ACL to CloudFront applies filtering at the edge.
- B
Enable AWS Shield Advanced only; it fully replaces the need for WAF rule evaluation.
Why wrong: Shield Advanced focuses on DDoS attack protection. It does not provide request-by-request exploit filtering based on WAF rule sets.
- C
Attach a security group rule to the ALB to block malicious patterns based on HTTP request bodies.
Why wrong: Security groups filter based on network-layer fields (for example, IPs, ports, protocols). They do not inspect HTTP payload contents to detect and block web exploit patterns.
- D
Use Security Hub to block requests automatically when it detects suspicious activity.
Why wrong: Security Hub aggregates security findings and posture. It does not directly enforce runtime request blocking for web traffic the way WAF web ACL rules do.
Quick Answer
The answer is to enable AWS WAF with AWS Managed Rules and associate the web ACL with the CloudFront distribution. This configuration is correct because AWS Managed Rules provide pre-configured, regularly updated rule sets—such as the OWASP Top 10 threat protection—that automatically block common web exploits like SQL injection and cross-site scripting without requiring any custom detection logic. By attaching the web ACL to CloudFront, traffic is inspected and filtered at the edge before reaching the origin, which reduces load and improves security. On the SAA-C03 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of managed security services versus custom solutions; a common trap is to suggest building custom Lambda@Edge functions or using Shield Advanced alone, which lack the pre-built OWASP coverage. Remember the mnemonic “WAF at the Edge” to recall that AWS WAF Managed Rules on CloudFront is the simplest, most effective way to block OWASP Top 10 threats automatically.
SAA-C03 Design Secure Architectures Practice Question
This SAA-C03 practice question tests your understanding of design secure architectures. 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. 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 serves a public API through a CloudFront distribution. They want to automatically block common web exploits (for example, OWASP Top 10–style threats) without building custom detection logic. Which AWS service configuration best meets the goal?
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
Enable AWS WAF with AWS Managed Rules and associate the web ACL with the CloudFront distribution.
AWS WAF with AWS Managed Rules provides pre-configured rule sets specifically designed to block common web exploits, including OWASP Top 10 threats, without requiring custom detection logic. By associating the web ACL with a CloudFront distribution, the filtering occurs at the edge, protecting the origin from malicious traffic before it reaches the application.
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.
- ✓
Enable AWS WAF with AWS Managed Rules and associate the web ACL with the CloudFront distribution.
Why this is correct
AWS WAF inspects HTTP(S) requests and applies allow/block decisions based on rule matches. AWS Managed Rules provide prebuilt protections for common threat patterns, and attaching the WAF web ACL to CloudFront applies filtering at the edge.
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 AWS Shield Advanced only; it fully replaces the need for WAF rule evaluation.
Why it's wrong here
Shield Advanced focuses on DDoS attack protection. It does not provide request-by-request exploit filtering based on WAF rule sets.
- ✗
Attach a security group rule to the ALB to block malicious patterns based on HTTP request bodies.
- ✗
Use Security Hub to block requests automatically when it detects suspicious activity.
Why it's wrong here
Security Hub aggregates security findings and posture. It does not directly enforce runtime request blocking for web traffic the way WAF web ACL rules do.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is confusing AWS Shield Advanced (which handles volumetric DDoS attacks) with AWS WAF (which handles application-layer threats like OWASP Top 10), leading candidates to believe Shield alone can replace WAF rule evaluation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS WAF Managed Rules for the OWASP Top 10 are curated by AWS and include rule groups such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and HTTP flood mitigation. When associated with CloudFront, the web ACL evaluates each request at the edge location, reducing latency and offloading processing from the origin. The rules use signature-based and anomaly-based detection, and they can be updated automatically by AWS to address new exploit patterns.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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: Enable AWS WAF with AWS Managed Rules and associate the web ACL with the CloudFront distribution. — AWS WAF with AWS Managed Rules provides pre-configured rule sets specifically designed to block common web exploits, including OWASP Top 10 threats, without requiring custom detection logic. By associating the web ACL with a CloudFront distribution, the filtering occurs at the edge, protecting the origin from malicious traffic before it reaches the application.
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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