The correct answer is to configure the web application’s database connection string to use SSL/TLS. Even when you enable SSL/TLS on the RDS instance itself, the server merely accepts encrypted connections; it does not force the client to use them. The client—here, the web application on EC2—must explicitly request an encrypted connection by adding the appropriate SSL parameters (like `--ssl-ca` or `useSSL=true`) to its connection string. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding that encryption in transit is a two-sided contract: server-side enablement is necessary but not sufficient. A common trap is assuming that enabling SSL on the RDS side automatically encrypts all traffic, or confusing this with encryption at rest or SCPs. Remember the mnemonic: “Server enables, client chooses”—the RDS server offers the encrypted handshake, but the client must accept it by configuring its connection string.
SCS-C02 Data Protection Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of data protection. 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 migrating sensitive customer data to Amazon RDS for MySQL. The security team requires that data be encrypted at rest and in transit. The database will be accessed by a web application running on Amazon EC2 instances in the same VPC. The RDS instance is launched with encryption enabled using an AWS managed KMS key. The security team also enables SSL/TLS for connections. Which additional step is necessary to ensure that the web application uses encrypted connections?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Configure the web application's database connection string to use SSL/TLS.
Option A is correct because even though SSL/TLS is enabled on the RDS instance, the client application must be configured to use SSL when connecting. Option B is wrong because enabling encryption at rest does not affect in-transit encryption. Option C is wrong because an SCP does not enforce application-level settings. Option D is wrong because the RDS instance already uses a managed KMS key; no additional KMS permissions are needed for SSL/TLS.
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 encryption at rest on the EC2 instance's EBS volumes.
Why it's wrong here
EBS encryption does not affect database connections.
Configure the web application's database connection string to use SSL/TLS.
Why this is correct
The client must explicitly request an SSL connection; otherwise, the connection may be unencrypted.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Grant the EC2 instance's IAM role permission to use the KMS key for decrypting RDS connections.
Why it's wrong here
KMS is not used for SSL/TLS connections; it is used for encryption at rest.
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 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.
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.
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 web application's database connection string to use SSL/TLS. — Option A is correct because even though SSL/TLS is enabled on the RDS instance, the client application must be configured to use SSL when connecting. Option B is wrong because enabling encryption at rest does not affect in-transit encryption. Option C is wrong because an SCP does not enforce application-level settings. Option D is wrong because the RDS instance already uses a managed KMS key; no additional KMS permissions are needed for SSL/TLS.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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