- A
Enable AWS Shield Advanced to automatically block SQL injection attacks.
Why wrong: Shield Advanced is for DDoS protection, not application-layer attacks like SQL injection.
- B
Create a WAF rule with a SQL injection match condition and set the action to block.
AWS WAF can inspect HTTP requests and block SQL injection patterns.
- C
Use Amazon GuardDuty to detect and block SQL injection attempts.
Why wrong: GuardDuty is a threat detection service, not a web application firewall.
- D
Configure the security group of the EC2 instances to block traffic containing SQL injection patterns.
Why wrong: Security groups do not inspect packet payloads.
Question 1,388 of 1,748
SCS-C02 Infrastructure Security Practice Question
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 is using AWS WAF to protect a web application behind an Application Load Balancer. The Security Engineer wants to block requests that contain SQL injection attacks. Which action should the Engineer take?
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
✓
Create a WAF rule with a SQL injection match condition and set the action to block.
AWS WAF is the native service for filtering web traffic to Application Load Balancers, and it includes a managed rule set specifically for SQL injection (SQLi) detection. By creating a custom WAF rule with a SQL injection match condition and setting the action to 'Block', the Engineer directly instructs WAF to inspect incoming requests for SQLi patterns and drop matching traffic before it reaches the ALB. This is the correct, service-native approach for blocking SQL injection attacks at the application layer.
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.
- ✗
Enable AWS Shield Advanced to automatically block SQL injection attacks.
Why it's wrong here
Shield Advanced is for DDoS protection, not application-layer attacks like SQL injection.
- ✓
Create a WAF rule with a SQL injection match condition and set the action to block.
Why this is correct
AWS WAF can inspect HTTP requests and block SQL injection patterns.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use Amazon GuardDuty to detect and block SQL injection attempts.
Why it's wrong here
GuardDuty is a threat detection service, not a web application firewall.
- ✗
Configure the security group of the EC2 instances to block traffic containing SQL injection patterns.
Why it's wrong here
Security groups do not inspect packet payloads.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse AWS Shield Advanced (a DDoS service) with WAF (a web application firewall), or assume that network-layer controls like security groups can inspect application-layer payloads, when in fact only WAF can perform content inspection for SQL injection.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS WAF SQL injection match conditions use a set of patterns and transformations (e.g., URL decode, HTML entity decode) to detect common SQLi payloads like ' OR 1=1 --. The rule evaluates each request against these patterns; when a match is found and the action is set to 'Block', WAF returns a 403 Forbidden to the client without forwarding the request to the ALB. In a real-world scenario, you would typically combine this with AWS WAF rate-based rules and the OWASP Top 10 managed rule groups to provide layered defense against web application attacks.
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.
Quick reference
OSI Model Reference
| Layer | Name | PDU | Key Protocols / Devices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Application | Data | HTTP, HTTPS, DNS, SMTP, FTP, SSH |
| 6 | Presentation | Data | TLS / SSL, JPEG, ASCII encoding |
| 5 | Session | Data | NetBIOS, RPC, SIP |
| 4 | Transport | Segment / Datagram | TCP, UDP |
| 3 | Network | Packet | IP, ICMP, OSPF — Routers |
| 2 | Data Link | Frame | Ethernet, Wi-Fi, PPP — Switches, Bridges |
| 1 | Physical | Bits | Cables, NICs, Hubs, Repeaters |
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SCS-C02 question test?
Infrastructure Security — This question tests Infrastructure Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create a WAF rule with a SQL injection match condition and set the action to block. — AWS WAF is the native service for filtering web traffic to Application Load Balancers, and it includes a managed rule set specifically for SQL injection (SQLi) detection. By creating a custom WAF rule with a SQL injection match condition and setting the action to 'Block', the Engineer directly instructs WAF to inspect incoming requests for SQLi patterns and drop matching traffic before it reaches the ALB. This is the correct, service-native approach for blocking SQL injection attacks at the application layer.
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.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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