- A
Use a private virtual interface (VIF) and enable IPsec encryption for the traffic.
Private VIF provides private connectivity; adding IPsec encrypts data in transit.
- B
Use a public VIF to access all AWS services including VPC resources.
Why wrong: Public VIF exposes traffic to the public internet; private VIF is for VPC resources.
- C
Use a private VIF and establish an IPsec VPN tunnel over the Direct Connect connection.
Why wrong: This adds unnecessary complexity; private VIF is already private, and IPsec can be added directly without VPN.
- D
Use a private VIF and enable MACsec encryption at the physical layer.
Why wrong: MACsec is for Ethernet encryption but not necessary for security; IPsec is preferred for encryption over private VIF.
Question 1,558 of 1,748
Direct Connect Encryption: Private VIF with IPsec Best Practice
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 wants to use AWS Direct Connect to establish a dedicated network connection from its on-premises data center to AWS. Which of the following is a security best practice when configuring Direct Connect?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
✓
Use a private virtual interface (VIF) and enable IPsec encryption for the traffic.
Option A is correct because using a private virtual interface (VIF) with IPsec encryption ensures that traffic traversing the Direct Connect connection is encrypted at the network layer, protecting data in transit from potential eavesdropping or tampering. While Direct Connect provides a dedicated, private physical link, it does not inherently encrypt traffic; adding IPsec (e.g., using a VPN connection over the private VIF) addresses this gap, aligning with the AWS security best practice of encrypting all data in transit even over private networks.
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 a private virtual interface (VIF) and enable IPsec encryption for the traffic.
Why this is correct
Private VIF provides private connectivity; adding IPsec encrypts data in transit.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use a public VIF to access all AWS services including VPC resources.
Why it's wrong here
Public VIF exposes traffic to the public internet; private VIF is for VPC resources.
- ✗
Use a private VIF and establish an IPsec VPN tunnel over the Direct Connect connection.
- ✗
Use a private VIF and enable MACsec encryption at the physical layer.
Why it's wrong here
MACsec is for Ethernet encryption but not necessary for security; IPsec is preferred for encryption over private VIF.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume Direct Connect is inherently secure because it is a private link, but the exam tests the nuance that encryption (IPsec or MACsec) is still a best practice for sensitive data, and they must distinguish between Layer 2 (MACsec) and Layer 3 (IPsec) encryption options and their applicability to private VIFs.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When using IPsec over a private VIF, you typically configure a VPN connection (e.g., using AWS Virtual Private Gateway or a third-party VPN appliance) that terminates on the same private VIF, encrypting traffic with protocols like ESP (Encapsulating Security Payload) in tunnel mode. This setup ensures end-to-end encryption from the on-premises router to the VPC, even though the Direct Connect link itself is private; a real-world scenario is a financial institution that must comply with PCI DSS or HIPAA, requiring encryption for all data in transit, including over dedicated connections. Under the hood, IPsec uses IKEv2 for key exchange and AES-256-GCM for encryption, adding minimal latency while providing strong security.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
Quick reference
VPN Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Port | Encryption | Authentication | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IKEv2 / IPsec | UDP 500 / 4500 | AES-256 | Certificates / PSK | Site-to-site & remote access |
| SSL / TLS VPN | TCP 443 | TLS 1.3 | Certificates / MFA | Clientless remote access |
| L2TP / IPsec | UDP 1701 | AES (IPsec) | PSK / Certificates | Legacy remote access |
| WireGuard | UDP 51820 | ChaCha20 | Public keys | Modern high-performance VPN |
| PPTP | TCP 1723 | MPPE (weak) | MS-CHAPv2 | Legacy — avoid in production |
PPTP is considered insecure. IKEv2/IPsec and SSL VPN are the current recommended options.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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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: Use a private virtual interface (VIF) and enable IPsec encryption for the traffic. — Option A is correct because using a private virtual interface (VIF) with IPsec encryption ensures that traffic traversing the Direct Connect connection is encrypted at the network layer, protecting data in transit from potential eavesdropping or tampering. While Direct Connect provides a dedicated, private physical link, it does not inherently encrypt traffic; adding IPsec (e.g., using a VPN connection over the private VIF) addresses this gap, aligning with the AWS security best practice of encrypting all data in transit even over private networks.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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 →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on SCS-C02
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 company is using AWS Direct Connect with a private virtual interface (VIF) to connect its on-premises network to a VPC. The security team wants to encrypt traffic over the Direct Connect connection. Which TWO options can be used? (Choose TWO.)
hard- A.Use AWS KMS to encrypt the traffic.
- B.Use AWS Certificate Manager to issue certificates for the connection.
- ✓ C.Enable MACsec on the Direct Connect connection.
- D.Use SSL/TLS to encrypt the traffic between on-premises and AWS.
- ✓ E.Establish an IPsec VPN tunnel over the Direct Connect connection.
Why C: Option C is correct because MACsec (IEEE 802.1AE) provides encryption at Layer 2 (data link layer) and can be enabled directly on a Direct Connect connection. This encrypts all traffic between the on-premises router and the AWS Direct Connect endpoint without requiring any changes to higher-layer protocols, making it transparent to applications.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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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