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 uses AWS Transit Gateway to connect multiple VPCs and on-premises networks. The security team wants to inspect all traffic between VPCs using a third-party firewall appliance. Which architecture should be used?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use Transit Gateway with appliance mode and route tables to direct traffic through a firewall appliance in a central VPC.
Centralized inspection using a Transit Gateway with appliance mode and appropriate route tables allows traffic to be forwarded to the firewall VPC for inspection. VPC peering does not support central inspection, and network ACLs are not suitable for inter-VPC traffic. Direct Connect alone does not provide inspection.
Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Set up AWS Direct Connect and route all traffic through the on-premises firewall.
Why it's wrong here
Unnecessary and adds latency; does not leverage cloud native inspection.
✓
Use Transit Gateway with appliance mode and route tables to direct traffic through a firewall appliance in a central VPC.
Why this is correct
This allows centralized inspection and scales well.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
✗
Create VPC peering connections between each VPC and the firewall VPC.
Why it's wrong here
VPC peering is point-to-point and does not scale; also, traffic may not be forced through the firewall.
✗
Configure network ACLs in each VPC to block traffic unless it comes from the firewall.
Why it's wrong here
Network ACLs are stateless and not designed for inter-VPC routing.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: ACLs stop at the first match
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
Extended ACLs can match source, destination, protocol and ports.
The first matching ACL entry is used.
There is usually an implicit deny at the end.
TExam Day Tips
→Check inbound versus outbound direction.
→Read the ACL from top to bottom.
→Look for a broader permit or deny above the intended line.
Key takeaway
ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
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.
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related SCS-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
Infrastructure Security — This question tests Infrastructure Security — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use Transit Gateway with appliance mode and route tables to direct traffic through a firewall appliance in a central VPC. — Centralized inspection using a Transit Gateway with appliance mode and appropriate route tables allows traffic to be forwarded to the firewall VPC for inspection. VPC peering does not support central inspection, and network ACLs are not suitable for inter-VPC traffic. Direct Connect alone does not provide inspection.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related SCS-C02 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.