- A
Use a single subnet for all resources to simplify network rules.
Why wrong: Single subnet lacks segmentation and security boundaries.
- B
Use security groups to restrict traffic to the database from only the application tier.
Security groups provide stateful firewall rules for instance-level security.
- C
Place database instances in a public subnet for easier management.
Why wrong: Databases should be in private subnets to avoid direct internet exposure.
- D
Use a NAT gateway in a public subnet for outbound traffic from private subnets.
NAT gateway enables outbound internet for private instances while blocking inbound.
- E
Place an internet gateway in a private subnet.
Why wrong: Internet gateway should be in public subnet to allow inbound/outbound internet.
Question 380 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 security engineer is designing a VPC with private and public subnets. Which TWO actions improve network security? (Choose two.)
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 security groups to restrict traffic to the database from only the application tier.
Option B is correct because security groups act as a stateful virtual firewall at the instance level, allowing you to restrict inbound traffic to the database instances to only the application tier's security group. This ensures that only traffic originating from the application instances can reach the database, effectively implementing a least-privilege security model.
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 single subnet for all resources to simplify network rules.
Why it's wrong here
Single subnet lacks segmentation and security boundaries.
- ✓
Use security groups to restrict traffic to the database from only the application tier.
Why this is correct
Security groups provide stateful firewall rules for instance-level security.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Place database instances in a public subnet for easier management.
Why it's wrong here
Databases should be in private subnets to avoid direct internet exposure.
- ✓
Use a NAT gateway in a public subnet for outbound traffic from private subnets.
- ✗
Place an internet gateway in a private subnet.
Why it's wrong here
Internet gateway should be in public subnet to allow inbound/outbound internet.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse security groups (stateful, instance-level) with network ACLs (stateless, subnet-level) and may incorrectly think that a single subnet simplifies security, when in fact it eliminates the network segmentation that is critical for defense in depth.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Security groups evaluate rules based on the source security group ID, not just IP addresses, enabling dynamic referencing of other EC2 instances or services. This is particularly useful in auto-scaling environments where instance IPs change frequently, as the security group rule automatically applies to all instances associated with the referenced group. Additionally, security groups are stateful, meaning that if you allow inbound traffic, the outbound return traffic is automatically permitted regardless of outbound rules.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
Visual reference
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: Use security groups to restrict traffic to the database from only the application tier. — Option B is correct because security groups act as a stateful virtual firewall at the instance level, allowing you to restrict inbound traffic to the database instances to only the application tier's security group. This ensures that only traffic originating from the application instances can reach the database, effectively implementing a least-privilege security model.
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
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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