- A
In the EC2 security group, allow inbound HTTPS traffic from 0.0.0.0/0.
Why wrong: This would allow any source to access the instances via HTTPS, violating the requirement that only the ALB can access them.
- B
Enable encryption at rest on the EC2 instances using EBS encryption.
Why wrong: This encrypts data at rest, not in transit between ALB and EC2.
- C
In the EC2 security group, allow inbound traffic on port 443 from the ALB's security group.
This restricts access to only the ALB, meeting the requirement.
- D
Configure the target group of the ALB to use HTTPS protocol.
This ensures traffic from ALB to EC2 instances is encrypted.
- E
Configure the ALB with an HTTPS listener and upload the SSL/TLS certificate.
Why wrong: This encrypts client-to-ALB traffic but not necessarily ALB-to-EC2; the target group protocol must also be HTTPS.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is to configure the target group of the ALB to use HTTPS protocol and to reference the ALB’s security group in the inbound rule of the EC2 instance security group. The HTTPS target group setting ensures that traffic between the ALB and EC2 is encrypted in transit using TLS, directly meeting the encryption requirement. Meanwhile, using the ALB’s security group as the source in the EC2 security group rule creates a logical, managed dependency that restricts inbound traffic exclusively to the ALB, preventing any other source from reaching the instances. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this pairing tests your understanding of how to secure traffic between layers in a multi-tier architecture without relying on static IP addresses or network ACLs. A common trap is selecting a self-referencing security group rule or a network ACL, which would not enforce encryption or restrict access to the ALB alone. Memory tip: think “HTTPS target + SG source” — the target group handles encryption, the security group handles access control.
PAS-C01 Technology Practice Question
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of technology. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 deploying a multi-tier web application on AWS. The application consists of an Application Load Balancer (ALB), a fleet of EC2 instances in an Auto Scaling group, and an Amazon RDS MySQL Multi-AZ DB instance. The security team requires that all traffic between the ALB and EC2 instances is encrypted, and that the EC2 instances can only be accessed by the ALB. Which TWO steps should be taken 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
In the EC2 security group, allow inbound traffic on port 443 from the ALB's security group.
Option C is correct because referencing the ALB's security group in the inbound rule of the EC2 security group ensures that only traffic originating from the ALB is allowed, meeting the requirement that EC2 instances can only be accessed by the ALB. Option D is correct because configuring the target group to use HTTPS protocol ensures that traffic between the ALB and EC2 instances is encrypted using TLS, satisfying the encryption requirement.
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.
- ✗
In the EC2 security group, allow inbound HTTPS traffic from 0.0.0.0/0.
Why it's wrong here
This would allow any source to access the instances via HTTPS, violating the requirement that only the ALB can access them.
- ✗
Enable encryption at rest on the EC2 instances using EBS encryption.
Why it's wrong here
This encrypts data at rest, not in transit between ALB and EC2.
- ✓
In the EC2 security group, allow inbound traffic on port 443 from the ALB's security group.
Why this is correct
This restricts access to only the ALB, meeting the requirement.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Configure the target group of the ALB to use HTTPS protocol.
Why this is correct
This ensures traffic from ALB to EC2 instances is encrypted.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Configure the ALB with an HTTPS listener and upload the SSL/TLS certificate.
Why it's wrong here
This encrypts client-to-ALB traffic but not necessarily ALB-to-EC2; the target group protocol must also be HTTPS.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the ALB listener protocol (which encrypts client-to-ALB traffic) with the target group protocol (which encrypts ALB-to-instance traffic), leading them to select Option E instead of Option D.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When you configure an ALB target group with HTTPS protocol, the ALB initiates a new TLS connection to the EC2 instances using the target group's health check and routing settings; the EC2 instances must have the corresponding SSL/TLS certificate installed to terminate the connection. Security group referencing works by allowing traffic based on the private IP addresses of the ALB's elastic network interfaces (ENIs) in the VPC, providing a more secure and dynamic method than using CIDR blocks, as it automatically adjusts when the ALB scales.
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.
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PAS-C01 question test?
Technology — This question tests Technology — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: In the EC2 security group, allow inbound traffic on port 443 from the ALB's security group. — Option C is correct because referencing the ALB's security group in the inbound rule of the EC2 security group ensures that only traffic originating from the ALB is allowed, meeting the requirement that EC2 instances can only be accessed by the ALB. Option D is correct because configuring the target group to use HTTPS protocol ensures that traffic between the ALB and EC2 instances is encrypted using TLS, satisfying the encryption requirement.
What should I do if I get this PAS-C01 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: Jun 11, 2026
This PAS-C01 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 PAS-C01 exam.
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