The answer is that the RDS DB parameter group does not have the 'rds.force_ssl' parameter set to 1. This is the most likely cause because even when a certificate is enabled on the RDS instance and the application includes sslmode=require in its connection string, PostgreSQL on RDS will not enforce encrypted connections by default; the rds.force_ssl parameter must be explicitly set to 1 in the DB parameter group to reject unencrypted connections. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this tests your understanding that encryption in transit on RDS is a two-step process—enabling a certificate alone is insufficient without the parameter group change, and a common trap is assuming sslmode=require in the client alone forces the server to accept only TLS. Remember the mnemonic: "Force SSL on the server, not just require on the client."
SAP-C02 Design for New Solutions Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design for new solutions. 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 financial services company is designing a new application that processes sensitive transactions. The application runs on Amazon ECS with Fargate. The compliance team requires that all data in transit between the application and the database must be encrypted. The database is an Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL instance. The application connects to the database using a connection string that includes the database endpoint. The security team has enabled encryption in transit on the RDS instance using a certificate. The application is currently failing to connect to the database with an error related to SSL/TLS. The development team verified that the connection string includes the sslmode=require parameter. What is the most likely cause of the connection failure?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The RDS DB parameter group does not have the 'rds.force_ssl' parameter set to 1.
Option C is correct. By default, TLS is not enforced on RDS; you must set the rds.force_ssl parameter to 1. Option A is wrong because Fargate containers can use SSL. Option B is wrong because security groups don't block SSL/TLS. Option D is wrong because the parameter group is correctly assigned.
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.
✗
The RDS instance is using a public certificate that is not trusted by the application.
Why it's wrong here
RDS uses a trusted certificate; the issue is that SSL is not enforced.
✗
The security group for the RDS instance does not allow inbound traffic on port 443.
Why it's wrong here
PostgreSQL uses port 5432, not 443.
✗
The Fargate task does not have the necessary SSL libraries installed.
Why it's wrong here
Fargate containers typically include SSL libraries.
✓
The RDS DB parameter group does not have the 'rds.force_ssl' parameter set to 1.
Why this is correct
The rds.force_ssl parameter must be set to enforce SSL connections.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which SAP-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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: The RDS DB parameter group does not have the 'rds.force_ssl' parameter set to 1. — Option C is correct. By default, TLS is not enforced on RDS; you must set the rds.force_ssl parameter to 1. Option A is wrong because Fargate containers can use SSL. Option B is wrong because security groups don't block SSL/TLS. Option D is wrong because the parameter group is correctly assigned.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Identify which SAP-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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