- A
Configure the ALB to be internal and place it in a VPC with a CloudFront VPC origin.
Why wrong: CloudFront uses public endpoints; a VPC origin is for API Gateway or ALB in a VPC, but the ALB must be internet-facing for CloudFront to reach it.
- B
Configure the ALB to require a specific header 'X-CloudFront-Origin' and reject requests without it.
Why wrong: CloudFront does not add such a header by default; custom headers can be added but are not a security mechanism because they can be spoofed.
- C
Configure the ALB to use an IAM role that allows only CloudFront to invoke the ALB.
Why wrong: ALB does not use IAM for inbound traffic control; IAM is for authentication to AWS APIs, not for network traffic.
- D
Configure the ALB security group to allow inbound traffic only from the CloudFront origin IP ranges published by AWS.
This restricts ALB access to CloudFront IPs, preventing direct internet access.
SCS-C02 Infrastructure Security Practice Question
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 uses Amazon CloudFront with an Application Load Balancer (ALB) as the origin. The security team wants to restrict access to the ALB so that it only accepts traffic from CloudFront. Which configuration should be used?
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 security group to allow inbound traffic only from the CloudFront origin IP ranges published by AWS.
Option D is correct because CloudFront publishes a list of its origin-facing IP address ranges, and you can restrict the ALB's security group to allow inbound traffic only from those ranges. This ensures that only CloudFront can reach the ALB directly, preventing bypass attacks. AWS provides these IP ranges in the ip-ranges.json file, which can be used to automate security group updates.
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 to be internal and place it in a VPC with a CloudFront VPC origin.
Why it's wrong here
CloudFront uses public endpoints; a VPC origin is for API Gateway or ALB in a VPC, but the ALB must be internet-facing for CloudFront to reach it.
- ✗
Configure the ALB to require a specific header 'X-CloudFront-Origin' and reject requests without it.
Why it's wrong here
CloudFront does not add such a header by default; custom headers can be added but are not a security mechanism because they can be spoofed.
- ✗
Configure the ALB to use an IAM role that allows only CloudFront to invoke the ALB.
Why it's wrong here
ALB does not use IAM for inbound traffic control; IAM is for authentication to AWS APIs, not for network traffic.
- ✓
Configure the ALB security group to allow inbound traffic only from the CloudFront origin IP ranges published by AWS.
Why this is correct
This restricts ALB access to CloudFront IPs, preventing direct internet access.
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 confuse CloudFront's viewer-facing IP ranges with its origin-facing IP ranges, or they assume that a custom header (like 'X-CloudFront-Origin') is a built-in CloudFront feature, when in fact AWS recommends using security group restrictions as the primary defense.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
CloudFront's origin-facing IP ranges are distinct from its edge (viewer-facing) IP ranges and are published in the AWS ip-ranges.json file under the service 'CLOUDFRONT' and region 'GLOBAL'. When you configure the ALB security group to allow traffic only from these ranges, you must also ensure that the ALB's security group allows health check traffic from the CloudFront IPs if needed. In a real-world scenario, you would automate security group updates using AWS Lambda or a scheduled task to keep up with IP range changes, as CloudFront occasionally updates its IP list.
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.
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: Configure the ALB security group to allow inbound traffic only from the CloudFront origin IP ranges published by AWS. — Option D is correct because CloudFront publishes a list of its origin-facing IP address ranges, and you can restrict the ALB's security group to allow inbound traffic only from those ranges. This ensures that only CloudFront can reach the ALB directly, preventing bypass attacks. AWS provides these IP ranges in the ip-ranges.json file, which can be used to automate security group updates.
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
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