- A
Enable encryption at rest on the EC2 instance's EBS volumes.
Why wrong: EBS encryption does not affect database connections.
- B
Create an SCP to enforce SSL connections to RDS.
Why wrong: SCPs cannot enforce application-level SSL usage.
- C
Configure the web application's database connection string to use SSL/TLS.
The client must explicitly request an SSL connection; otherwise, the connection may be unencrypted.
- D
Grant the EC2 instance's IAM role permission to use the KMS key for decrypting RDS connections.
Why wrong: KMS is not used for SSL/TLS connections; it is used for encryption at rest.
Question 1,342 of 1,748
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 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 web application's database connection string to use SSL/TLS.
The correct answer is C because even though SSL/TLS is enabled on the RDS instance, the client application (web application) must be configured to use SSL when connecting to the database. Without this configuration, the connection may default to an unencrypted channel, defeating the purpose of enabling SSL/TLS on the server side. Option A is incorrect because enabling encryption at rest on EC2 EBS volumes protects data at rest, not data in transit. Option B is incorrect because Service Control Policies (SCPs) are used to manage permissions across accounts in an organization and do not enforce application-level encryption settings. Option D is incorrect because the RDS instance uses an AWS managed KMS key for encryption at rest; additional KMS permissions are not required for SSL/TLS connections, which rely on certificates, not KMS keys.
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.
- ✗
Create an SCP to enforce SSL connections to RDS.
Why it's wrong here
SCPs cannot enforce application-level SSL usage.
- ✓
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.
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.
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Data Protection — study guide chapter
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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: Configure the web application's database connection string to use SSL/TLS. — The correct answer is C because even though SSL/TLS is enabled on the RDS instance, the client application (web application) must be configured to use SSL when connecting to the database. Without this configuration, the connection may default to an unencrypted channel, defeating the purpose of enabling SSL/TLS on the server side. Option A is incorrect because enabling encryption at rest on EC2 EBS volumes protects data at rest, not data in transit. Option B is incorrect because Service Control Policies (SCPs) are used to manage permissions across accounts in an organization and do not enforce application-level encryption settings. Option D is incorrect because the RDS instance uses an AWS managed KMS key for encryption at rest; additional KMS permissions are not required for SSL/TLS connections, which rely on certificates, not KMS keys.
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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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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