- A
Configure the ALB to use HTTPS listeners and the target group to use HTTPS.
This encrypts traffic between the client and ALB, and between ALB and EC2 instances if the target group uses HTTPS.
- B
Place the EC2 instances in private subnets and use a NAT gateway for outbound internet access.
Private subnets prevent direct inbound internet access, and NAT gateway allows necessary outbound traffic.
- C
Attach an Internet Gateway to the VPC and route traffic through it.
Why wrong: An Internet Gateway provides direct internet access, which violates the requirement that EC2 instances have no direct internet access.
- D
Enable VPC Flow Logs on the private subnets.
Why wrong: VPC Flow Logs capture network traffic information but do not encrypt traffic or block internet access.
- E
Configure network ACLs to deny all inbound traffic from the internet.
Why wrong: Network ACLs are stateless and do not encrypt traffic. They also require careful configuration to not block legitimate traffic.
SAP-C02 Design for New Solutions Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design for new solutions. 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 designing a new multi-tier web application on AWS. The application consists of a public-facing Application Load Balancer, a fleet of EC2 instances in private subnets, and an RDS database in a private subnet. The security team requires that all traffic between the ALB and EC2 instances be encrypted, and that the EC2 instances have no direct internet access. Which TWO actions should the company take to meet these requirements? (Choose TWO.)
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
Configure the ALB to use HTTPS listeners and the target group to use HTTPS.
Option A is correct because configuring the ALB with HTTPS listeners and the target group with HTTPS ensures that traffic between the ALB and EC2 instances is encrypted using TLS. This meets the security team's requirement for encrypted traffic end-to-end, as the ALB terminates the client HTTPS connection and re-encrypts traffic to the targets.
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.
- ✓
Configure the ALB to use HTTPS listeners and the target group to use HTTPS.
Why this is correct
This encrypts traffic between the client and ALB, and between ALB and EC2 instances if the target group uses HTTPS.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Place the EC2 instances in private subnets and use a NAT gateway for outbound internet access.
- ✗
Attach an Internet Gateway to the VPC and route traffic through it.
Why it's wrong here
An Internet Gateway provides direct internet access, which violates the requirement that EC2 instances have no direct internet access.
- ✗
Enable VPC Flow Logs on the private subnets.
Why it's wrong here
VPC Flow Logs capture network traffic information but do not encrypt traffic or block internet access.
- ✗
Configure network ACLs to deny all inbound traffic from the internet.
Why it's wrong here
Network ACLs are stateless and do not encrypt traffic. They also require careful configuration to not block legitimate traffic.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is the distinction between 'direct internet access' and 'indirect internet access'. Candidates may incorrectly assume that having any internet access (even via a NAT gateway) violates the requirement. However, the requirement explicitly states 'no direct internet access', which means no public IP and no route to an internet gateway. A NAT gateway provides outbound-only internet access from private subnets, which is indirect and does not allow inbound connections. This is permissible and often necessary for patching and updates.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When using HTTPS for the target group, the ALB re-encrypts the request using the target's TLS certificate, which can be a self-signed certificate on the EC2 instance or a certificate from AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) if the target is an Application Load Balancer or a Lambda function. For EC2 targets, the instance must have the private key and certificate installed, and the ALB validates the certificate's authenticity against the configured trust store. This end-to-end encryption ensures that even if traffic traverses internal AWS networks, it remains protected from eavesdropping.
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.
Visual reference
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAP-C02 question test?
Design for New Solutions — This question tests Design for New Solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure the ALB to use HTTPS listeners and the target group to use HTTPS. — Option A is correct because configuring the ALB with HTTPS listeners and the target group with HTTPS ensures that traffic between the ALB and EC2 instances is encrypted using TLS. This meets the security team's requirement for encrypted traffic end-to-end, as the ALB terminates the client HTTPS connection and re-encrypts traffic to the targets.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 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: Jul 4, 2026
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