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 WAF to protect a web application. The security team wants to block requests that contain SQL injection patterns. Which WAF rule type should be used?
IP set rule
Why wrong: IP set rules allow or block based on source IP addresses.
Geographic match rule
Why wrong: Geographic match rules block or allow based on country of origin.
Rate-based rule
Why wrong: Rate-based rules limit the number of requests from an IP, not detect SQL injection.
SQL injection match rule
SQL injection match rules inspect request parameters for SQL-like patterns.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
SQL injection match rule
Option D is correct because AWS WAF provides a dedicated SQL injection match rule that inspects incoming requests for SQL injection patterns in the URI, query string, or body. This rule uses a set of predefined SQL-like patterns (e.g., 'OR 1=1', 'UNION SELECT') to detect and block malicious input, directly addressing the security team's requirement.
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.
IP set rule
Why it's wrong here
IP set rules allow or block based on source IP addresses.
Geographic match rule
Why it's wrong here
Geographic match rules block or allow based on country of origin.
Rate-based rule
Why it's wrong here
Rate-based rules limit the number of requests from an IP, not detect SQL injection.
SQL injection match rule
Why this is correct
SQL injection match rules inspect request parameters for SQL-like patterns.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates may confuse a rate-based rule (which controls request volume) with a content-based rule (which inspects payloads), leading them to pick Option C instead of the correct SQL injection match rule.
Detailed technical explanation
AWS WAF SQL injection match rules use a set of regular expressions and pattern matching to identify common SQL injection vectors, such as '1=1' or 'DROP TABLE', in the request body, query string, or URI. Under the hood, WAF applies these patterns to the raw request components before they reach the application, allowing for early blocking. A real-world scenario is when an attacker sends a crafted POST request with a SQL injection payload in a form field; the SQL injection match rule can inspect the body and block it before the application processes it.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
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: SQL injection match rule — Option D is correct because AWS WAF provides a dedicated SQL injection match rule that inspects incoming requests for SQL injection patterns in the URI, query string, or body. This rule uses a set of predefined SQL-like patterns (e.g., 'OR 1=1', 'UNION SELECT') to detect and block malicious input, directly addressing the security team's requirement.
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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