The correct answer is to configure transit gateway route tables to route all inter-VPC traffic through the firewall appliance. This works because a transit gateway allows you to create separate route tables for each VPC attachment, and you can set a static route that points all inter-VPC traffic to the network interface of the centralized firewall in the shared services VPC, forcing every packet between VPCs to pass through inspection. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of transitive routing versus direct peering—a common trap is assuming VPC peering or security groups can enforce inspection, but peering creates direct, uninspected paths and security groups are stateful filters, not routing devices. Remember the key distinction: transit gateway route tables act as a traffic cop, while a Gateway Load Balancer is an alternative for scaling, not a requirement. Memory tip: think “TGW route tables = inspection detour” to avoid the peering bypass trap.
SCS-C02 Infrastructure Security Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of infrastructure security. 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 is designing a shared services VPC architecture with multiple VPCs connected via a transit gateway. The security engineer needs to ensure that all traffic between VPCs is inspected by a centralized firewall appliance deployed in the shared services VPC. What configuration is required?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Configure transit gateway route tables to route all inter-VPC traffic through the firewall appliance.
Option D is correct because transit gateway route tables can be used to route traffic to the firewall appliance for inspection. Option A is wrong because VPC peering would bypass the firewall. Option B is wrong because a GWLB can be used but it is not the only way; transit gateway route tables can also do it. Option C is wrong because security groups are not for routing.
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.
✗
Create VPC peering connections between each VPC and the shared services VPC.
Why it's wrong here
VPC peering allows direct traffic without inspection.
✓
Configure transit gateway route tables to route all inter-VPC traffic through the firewall appliance.
Why this is correct
Transit gateway route tables can send traffic to a network appliance in the shared services VPC for inspection.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use security groups to route traffic through the firewall.
Why it's wrong here
Security groups are stateful firewalls, not routing devices.
✗
Deploy a Gateway Load Balancer (GWLB) in the shared services VPC and register the firewall as a target.
Why it's wrong here
GWLB can distribute traffic to firewalls but does not enforce that all traffic goes through it; routing still needed.
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 SCS-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.
Infrastructure Security — This question tests Infrastructure Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure transit gateway route tables to route all inter-VPC traffic through the firewall appliance. — Option D is correct because transit gateway route tables can be used to route traffic to the firewall appliance for inspection. Option A is wrong because VPC peering would bypass the firewall. Option B is wrong because a GWLB can be used but it is not the only way; transit gateway route tables can also do it. Option C is wrong because security groups are not for routing.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Identify which SCS-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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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This SCS-C02 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 SCS-C02 exam.
Question Discussion
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