SCS-C02 Data Protection Practice Question
A company needs to ensure that data in transit between an EC2 instance and an RDS database is encrypted. Which solution meets this requirement?
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
✓
Enable SSL/TLS on the database connection
SSL/TLS is the appropriate solution to encrypt data in transit between the EC2 instance and the RDS database. It ensures that data is encrypted during transmission, preventing eavesdropping or tampering. Option A is incorrect because a VPN connection encrypts traffic between networks but is unnecessary for direct connectivity within the same VPC; SSL/TLS is more straightforward. Option B is incorrect because encryption at rest protects data stored on disk, not data in motion. Option D is incorrect because client-side encryption would require modifying the application to encrypt data before sending, which does not guarantee encryption of the entire communication channel.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Use a VPN connection between the VPC and the database
Why it's wrong here
A VPN encrypts traffic traversing the tunnel between the VPC and an on-premises network, but traffic between an EC2 instance and an RDS database inside the same VPC never enters that tunnel. It is tempting because VPNs are a familiar encryption mechanism, and it would be correct for securing connectivity to on-premises systems.
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Enable encryption at rest on the RDS instance
Why it's wrong here
Encryption at rest protects stored data on the RDS volume, not the wire protocol between the EC2 client and the database. It is tempting because enabling RDS encryption is a common compliance control, but it addresses a different data state. In-transit encryption requires TLS on the connection.
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Enable SSL/TLS on the database connection
Why this is correct
Enabling SSL/TLS encrypts the wire protocol between the EC2 client and the RDS endpoint, directly satisfying the in-transit encryption requirement. RDS supports TLS via certificate-based handshake, so the connection itself is protected regardless of storage-level encryption. This is the only option addressing data moving across the network.
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Use client-side encryption on the application
Why it's wrong here
Client-side encryption protects the payload before it leaves the application, but the EC2-to-RDS connection itself remains unencrypted, so data in transit is still exposed. It is tempting because it secures sensitive fields end to end. Requiring TLS on the RDS connection encrypts the transport directly.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.