Quick Answer
The answer is AWS WAF. This is the correct choice because AWS WAF is a web application firewall specifically designed to inspect HTTP/HTTPS requests and block malicious patterns, including SQL injection attempts, when associated with an Application Load Balancer. It leverages managed rule sets, such as the AWS Managed Rules for SQL injection, to detect and filter these attacks in real time, providing a robust defense at the application layer. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to layer security controls on a load balancer, often appearing as a distractor against services like AWS Shield Advanced (which focuses on DDoS) or Network ACLs (which operate at the network layer). A common trap is confusing WAF with Shield or security groups, but remember: WAF inspects the request payload, not just the packet headers. Memory tip: WAF = Web Application Firewall, so think "WAF watches the web words" for SQL injection patterns.
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of infrastructure security. 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's security team wants to detect and block malicious SQL injection attempts against an Application Load Balancer. Which AWS service should be used?
AWS WAF
WAF can use rules to block SQL injection patterns.
Amazon GuardDuty
Why wrong: GuardDuty detects threats but does not block at the ALB.
Amazon Inspector
Why wrong: Inspector is for vulnerability scanning, not runtime blocking.
AWS Shield Advanced
Why wrong: Shield protects against DDoS, not SQL injection.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
AWS WAF
AWS WAF is a web application firewall that can be associated with an Application Load Balancer to inspect HTTP/HTTPS requests for malicious patterns, such as SQL injection attempts. It uses managed rule sets (e.g., AWS Managed Rules for SQL injection) to detect and block these attacks in real time, making it the correct choice for this use case.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
AWS WAF
Why this is correct
WAF can use rules to block SQL injection patterns.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Amazon GuardDuty
Why it's wrong here
GuardDuty detects threats but does not block at the ALB.
Amazon Inspector
Why it's wrong here
Inspector is for vulnerability scanning, not runtime blocking.
AWS Shield Advanced
Why it's wrong here
Shield protects against DDoS, not SQL injection.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse GuardDuty's threat detection (which covers network and account-level anomalies) with application-layer attack detection, or assume Shield Advanced's DDoS protection includes web application firewall capabilities.
Detailed technical explanation
AWS WAF integrates with ALB via web ACLs that evaluate incoming HTTP(S) requests against rules using conditions like SQL injection match patterns, which are based on regex patterns and keyword analysis. Under the hood, WAF inspects the request body, query strings, and URI paths for SQL metacharacters (e.g., single quotes, 'OR 1=1') and can block or rate-limit requests before they reach the backend. In a real-world scenario, a security team might combine WAF with AWS Shield Advanced for layered defense, but only WAF provides the specific SQL injection detection and blocking capability.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
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FAQ
Infrastructure Security — This question tests Infrastructure Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: AWS WAF — AWS WAF is a web application firewall that can be associated with an Application Load Balancer to inspect HTTP/HTTPS requests for malicious patterns, such as SQL injection attempts. It uses managed rule sets (e.g., AWS Managed Rules for SQL injection) to detect and block these attacks in real time, making it the correct choice for this use case.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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.
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