- A
Use AWS Systems Manager Session Manager, enabling the required SSM permissions in the instance profile and restricting access to engineers via IAM.
Session Manager avoids inbound SSH from the internet by initiating interactive sessions through Systems Manager. The instance profile must allow SSM actions like StartSession, and engineers’ IAM permissions restrict who can connect. This is a commonly recommended bastion-free alternative that improves security and reduces exposed network paths.
- B
Keep the bastion host but move it into a private subnet; engineers can connect by using a corporate VPN into the VPC.
Why wrong: A bastion host remains a high-value target and still requires controlled network access. Even if the bastion is private, inbound connectivity and SSH exposure remain. Session Manager provides a more direct elimination of the bastion as well as auditability.
- C
Attach a public IP to each private instance so engineers can SSH directly and use security groups to restrict access.
Why wrong: Public IPs for instances in private subnets defeat the private-subnet isolation and increase attack surface. While security groups could limit access, it’s still direct internet exposure rather than brokered, permissioned management via AWS SSM.
- D
Create a security group rule that allows engineers’ source IP addresses to reach instances over RDP on port 3389.
Why wrong: Allowing RDP with IP-based controls still requires a management network path and does not remove exposure. It also doesn’t align with using AWS SSO-based authentication for secure access auditing and operational workflows.
Quick Answer
The answer is to replace the bastion host with AWS Systems Manager Session Manager. This is the correct choice because Session Manager provides agent-based, auditable access to EC2 instances in private subnets without opening any inbound ports or managing SSH keys, relying instead on the SSM agent and an instance profile with the AmazonSSMManagedInstanceCore policy. For the SAA-C03 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to eliminate jump boxes while maintaining secure administrative access, often appearing as a question where engineers authenticate via AWS SSO and instances already have an instance profile attached. A common trap is suggesting a VPN or a new bastion in a different subnet, but the key is that Session Manager works over an outbound connection to the AWS API, making it ideal for private instances. Memory tip: think “SSM = SSH-less Management” to remember it removes the need for bastion hosts and open ports.
SAA-C03 Design Secure Architectures Practice Question
This SAA-C03 practice question tests your understanding of design secure architectures. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 team wants to remove a bastion host used for administrative access to EC2 instances in private subnets. The instances should be reachable only for occasional troubleshooting by engineers who authenticate with AWS SSO. What is the best secure alternative within AWS, assuming the instances already have an instance profile attached?
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
Use AWS Systems Manager Session Manager, enabling the required SSM permissions in the instance profile and restricting access to engineers via IAM.
AWS Systems Manager Session Manager provides secure, auditable, agent-based access to EC2 instances without requiring a bastion host, open inbound ports, or SSH keys. By enabling the required SSM permissions (e.g., AmazonSSMManagedInstanceCore) in the instance profile and using IAM policies to restrict access to authenticated engineers via AWS SSO, you achieve a fully managed, secure, and compliant solution. This eliminates the need for a bastion host while maintaining the ability to troubleshoot instances in private subnets.
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.
- ✓
Use AWS Systems Manager Session Manager, enabling the required SSM permissions in the instance profile and restricting access to engineers via IAM.
Why this is correct
Session Manager avoids inbound SSH from the internet by initiating interactive sessions through Systems Manager. The instance profile must allow SSM actions like StartSession, and engineers’ IAM permissions restrict who can connect. This is a commonly recommended bastion-free alternative that improves security and reduces exposed network paths.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Keep the bastion host but move it into a private subnet; engineers can connect by using a corporate VPN into the VPC.
Why it's wrong here
A bastion host remains a high-value target and still requires controlled network access. Even if the bastion is private, inbound connectivity and SSH exposure remain. Session Manager provides a more direct elimination of the bastion as well as auditability.
- ✗
Attach a public IP to each private instance so engineers can SSH directly and use security groups to restrict access.
Why it's wrong here
Public IPs for instances in private subnets defeat the private-subnet isolation and increase attack surface. While security groups could limit access, it’s still direct internet exposure rather than brokered, permissioned management via AWS SSM.
- ✗
Create a security group rule that allows engineers’ source IP addresses to reach instances over RDP on port 3389.
Why it's wrong here
Allowing RDP with IP-based controls still requires a management network path and does not remove exposure. It also doesn’t align with using AWS SSO-based authentication for secure access auditing and operational workflows.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often think a bastion host is required for private subnet access, or they mistakenly believe that opening inbound ports (even with IP restrictions) is an acceptable alternative, failing to recognize that AWS Systems Manager Session Manager provides a fully managed, agent-based, port-free solution that aligns with the principle of least privilege and removes the bastion host entirely.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Session Manager uses the SSM Agent installed on the EC2 instance to establish a bidirectional WebSocket connection over HTTPS (port 443) to the AWS Systems Manager service, eliminating the need for any inbound firewall rules or SSH/RDP ports. The agent authenticates using the instance's IAM role, and the session is initiated via the AWS Console, CLI, or SDK, with all actions logged to AWS CloudTrail for auditing. A subtle behavior is that Session Manager can also be used to tunnel SSH or RDP traffic through the agent, but the native shell access is often sufficient for troubleshooting without additional protocol overhead.
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.
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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: Use AWS Systems Manager Session Manager, enabling the required SSM permissions in the instance profile and restricting access to engineers via IAM. — AWS Systems Manager Session Manager provides secure, auditable, agent-based access to EC2 instances without requiring a bastion host, open inbound ports, or SSH keys. By enabling the required SSM permissions (e.g., AmazonSSMManagedInstanceCore) in the instance profile and using IAM policies to restrict access to authenticated engineers via AWS SSO, you achieve a fully managed, secure, and compliant solution. This eliminates the need for a bastion host while maintaining the ability to troubleshoot instances in private subnets.
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.
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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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