The answer is to configure the ALB listener to use HTTPS protocol and configure the target group to use HTTPS protocol. This is correct because encrypting data in transit between ALB and EC2 requires TLS termination at the load balancer and re-encryption on the backend connection; setting the target group to HTTPS ensures that traffic from the ALB to the instances is also encrypted, not just the client-facing side. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of end-to-end encryption versus front-end-only encryption, a common trap where candidates stop at the listener configuration and forget the target group. Remember the memory tip: “Listen for HTTPS, target for HTTPS” — both must be secure to enforce full encryption in transit.
SCS-C02 Data Protection Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of data protection. 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 wants to enforce encryption in transit for all data transferred between its Amazon EC2 instances and an Application Load Balancer (ALB). The company uses AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) to provision TLS certificates. Which TWO actions should the company take? (Choose TWO.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Configure the target group to use HTTPS protocol.
Option A is correct because configuring the target group to use HTTPS protocol ensures that traffic between the Application Load Balancer (ALB) and the EC2 instances is encrypted in transit. This enforces TLS encryption on the backend connection, meeting the requirement for data-in-transit protection between the ALB and instances.
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.
✓
Configure the target group to use HTTPS protocol.
Why this is correct
HTTPS target group ensures encryption between ALB and EC2.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable encryption at rest on the EC2 instances.
Why it's wrong here
Encryption at rest does not affect encryption in transit.
✗
Use a network load balancer instead of an ALB.
Why it's wrong here
NLB supports TLS termination but the question specifies ALB.
✗
Assign a certificate from ACM to the ALB listener.
Why it's wrong here
While necessary, this alone doesn't enforce encryption in transit. The target group protocol is also needed.
✓
Configure the ALB listener to use HTTPS protocol.
Why this is correct
HTTPS listener enables encryption between client and ALB.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume assigning a certificate to the ALB listener alone (Option D) is sufficient for encryption in transit, overlooking that the target group protocol must also be HTTPS to enforce encryption on the backend connection between the ALB and EC2 instances.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When the target group protocol is set to HTTPS, the ALB re-encrypts traffic using a new TLS session with the EC2 instances, which requires the instances to have a valid TLS certificate (often self-signed) trusted by the ALB. This ensures end-to-end encryption, preventing plaintext traffic even within the VPC, which is critical for compliance with standards like PCI DSS or HIPAA that mandate encryption in transit for all network paths.
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.
TExam Day Tips
→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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Data Protection — This question tests Data Protection — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure the target group to use HTTPS protocol. — Option A is correct because configuring the target group to use HTTPS protocol ensures that traffic between the Application Load Balancer (ALB) and the EC2 instances is encrypted in transit. This enforces TLS encryption on the backend connection, meeting the requirement for data-in-transit protection between the ALB and instances.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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 →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A security engineer needs to ensure that all data in transit between an Application Load Balancer and EC2 instances is encrypted using TLS. Which configuration is required?
easy
✓ A.Configure the ALB with an HTTPS listener and the target group with HTTPS protocol.
B.Configure the ALB with an HTTPS listener and the target group with HTTP protocol.
C.Configure the ALB with a TLS listener and the target group with TCP protocol.
D.Configure the ALB with a TCP listener and the target group with HTTP protocol.
Why A: The ALB must have a listener with a secure listener protocol (HTTPS) and the target group must specify HTTPS as the protocol to enable encryption between ALB and EC2 instances. Option B is correct.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
Question Discussion
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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.
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