← SCS-C02·Amazon Web Services

Question 507 of 1,748

Infrastructure Security →hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Encrypt ALB to EC2 Traffic with HTTPS Target Group

This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of infrastructure security. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 deploying a web application on EC2 instances behind an Application Load Balancer. The security team requires that all traffic between the ALB and the EC2 instances be encrypted. Which configuration should the engineer implement?

A
Configure the ALB listener with HTTP protocol and the target group with HTTP protocol, then use a security group to restrict traffic.
Why wrong: HTTP is not encrypted.
B
Configure the ALB listener with HTTPS protocol and the target group with HTTP protocol.
Why wrong: This encrypts only the frontend, not the backend.
C
Configure the ALB listener with TCP protocol and the target group with TCP protocol, then install SSL certificates on the EC2 instances.
Why wrong: TCP does not provide encryption.
D
Configure the ALB listener with HTTPS protocol and the target group with HTTPS protocol, and install SSL certificates on the EC2 instances.
This encrypts both frontend and backend traffic.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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

✓

Configure the ALB listener with HTTPS protocol and the target group with HTTPS protocol, and install SSL certificates on the EC2 instances.

Option D is correct because it ensures end-to-end encryption between the ALB and EC2 instances. The ALB listener uses HTTPS to terminate client SSL/TLS, and the target group uses HTTPS to re-encrypt traffic to the instances, requiring SSL certificates on the EC2 instances to decrypt and re-encrypt. This satisfies the security requirement that all traffic between the ALB and EC2 instances be encrypted.

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 ALB listener with HTTP protocol and the target group with HTTP protocol, then use a security group to restrict traffic.
Why it's wrong here
HTTP is not encrypted.
✗
Configure the ALB listener with HTTPS protocol and the target group with HTTP protocol.
Why it's wrong here
This encrypts only the frontend, not the backend.
✗
Configure the ALB listener with TCP protocol and the target group with TCP protocol, then install SSL certificates on the EC2 instances.
Why it's wrong here
TCP does not provide encryption.
✓
Configure the ALB listener with HTTPS protocol and the target group with HTTPS protocol, and install SSL certificates on the EC2 instances.
Why this is correct
This encrypts both frontend and backend traffic.
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 HTTPS on the listener alone is sufficient, overlooking that the target group protocol must also be HTTPS to encrypt traffic between the ALB and instances, not just between clients and the ALB.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

When using HTTPS on the target group, the ALB initiates a new TLS connection to the EC2 instances, requiring the instances to have valid SSL certificates (e.g., from ACM or self-signed). This is known as end-to-end encryption or re-encryption, and it is distinct from SSL offloading (where the ALB decrypts and forwards plaintext). In real-world scenarios, this is critical for compliance with standards like PCI DSS that mandate encryption in transit between all components.

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.

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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: Configure the ALB listener with HTTPS protocol and the target group with HTTPS protocol, and install SSL certificates on the EC2 instances. — Option D is correct because it ensures end-to-end encryption between the ALB and EC2 instances. The ALB listener uses HTTPS to terminate client SSL/TLS, and the target group uses HTTPS to re-encrypt traffic to the instances, requiring SSL certificates on the EC2 instances to decrypt and re-encrypt. This satisfies the security requirement that all traffic between the ALB and EC2 instances be encrypted.

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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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 runs a web application on EC2 instances behind an Application Load Balancer (ALB). The security team requires that all traffic between the ALB and EC2 instances be encrypted. Which configuration ensures this requirement is met?

medium

✓ A.Use an HTTPS listener on the ALB and configure the target group with HTTPS.
B.Use a TCP listener on the ALB and a TCP target group.
C.Configure security group inbound rules to allow only HTTPS traffic.
D.Use an HTTP listener on the ALB and HTTP on the target group.

Why A: Option A is correct because it ensures end-to-end encryption between the ALB and EC2 instances. By configuring an HTTPS listener on the ALB, traffic from clients to the ALB is encrypted. Then, by setting the target group protocol to HTTPS, the ALB re-encrypts the traffic before forwarding it to the EC2 instances, fulfilling the security team's requirement that all traffic between the ALB and EC2 instances be encrypted.

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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.