- A
Use AWS CloudHSM to generate a certificate and import it into ACM
Why wrong: CloudHSM adds complexity; ACM public certificates are sufficient.
- B
Configure CloudFront in front of the ALB and use a CloudFront default certificate
Why wrong: CloudFront adds unnecessary complexity; ACM public certificate on ALB works.
- C
Generate a self-signed certificate on the EC2 instance and upload it to ACM, then associate it with the ALB
Why wrong: Self-signed certificates are not trusted by browsers.
- D
Request a public certificate from ACM and associate it with the ALB
ACM public certificates are issued by trusted CAs and automatically renewed.
Question 846 of 1,748
SCS-C02 Data Protection Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of data protection. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 runs a web application on Amazon EC2 behind an Application Load Balancer (ALB). The application handles payment card information (PCI) and must comply with PCI DSS. The security team wants to ensure that all data in transit between the client and the ALB is encrypted using TLS 1.2 or higher. The ALB currently uses a default certificate from AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) that was issued by Amazon. The compliance team has flagged that the certificate must be issued by a public Certificate Authority (CA) that is trusted by major browsers. The company wants to minimize operational overhead. What should the security team do?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"minimum / minimize"Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
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
✓
Request a public certificate from ACM and associate it with the ALB
Option D is correct. AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) can issue public certificates from trusted certificate authorities (CAs) such as Amazon Trust Services at no additional cost. These certificates support TLS 1.2 and 1.3 and are automatically renewed, minimizing operational overhead. ACM public certificates are trusted by major browsers because they are issued by a public CA. Option A is incorrect because CloudHSM is used for hardware-based key management, not for issuing public certificates; importing a certificate from CloudHSM would require manual renewal. Option B is incorrect because CloudFront's default certificate is for CloudFront distributions, not for ALBs; using CloudFront would introduce unnecessary complexity and cost. Option C is incorrect because self-signed certificates are not trusted by browsers and would require manual renewal and distribution.
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.
- ✗
Use AWS CloudHSM to generate a certificate and import it into ACM
Why it's wrong here
CloudHSM adds complexity; ACM public certificates are sufficient.
- ✗
Configure CloudFront in front of the ALB and use a CloudFront default certificate
Why it's wrong here
CloudFront adds unnecessary complexity; ACM public certificate on ALB works.
- ✗
Generate a self-signed certificate on the EC2 instance and upload it to ACM, then associate it with the ALB
Why it's wrong here
Self-signed certificates are not trusted by browsers.
- ✓
Request a public certificate from ACM and associate it with the ALB
Why this is correct
ACM public certificates are issued by trusted CAs and automatically renewed.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which SCS-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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Data Protection — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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Data Protection practice questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SCS-C02 question test?
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: Request a public certificate from ACM and associate it with the ALB — Option D is correct. AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) can issue public certificates from trusted certificate authorities (CAs) such as Amazon Trust Services at no additional cost. These certificates support TLS 1.2 and 1.3 and are automatically renewed, minimizing operational overhead. ACM public certificates are trusted by major browsers because they are issued by a public CA. Option A is incorrect because CloudHSM is used for hardware-based key management, not for issuing public certificates; importing a certificate from CloudHSM would require manual renewal. Option B is incorrect because CloudFront's default certificate is for CloudFront distributions, not for ALBs; using CloudFront would introduce unnecessary complexity and cost. Option C is incorrect because self-signed certificates are not trusted by browsers and would require manual renewal and distribution.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Identify which SCS-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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