This CCSP practice question tests your understanding of cloud platform and 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 cloud administrator needs to ensure that all data transferred between an on-premises data center and a cloud VPC is encrypted in transit. Which solution should be used?
AWS Transit Gateway
Why wrong: Transit Gateway is a network transit hub, does not itself provide encryption.
AWS Route 53 Resolver
Why wrong: Route 53 Resolver is for DNS, not encryption.
AWS Site-to-Site VPN
Site-to-Site VPN uses IPSec to encrypt all traffic between the on-premises network and VPC.
AWS Direct Connect
Why wrong: Direct Connect provides a private connection but does not encrypt data by default.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
AWS Site-to-Site VPN
AWS Site-to-Site VPN creates an encrypted tunnel between an on-premises data center and a cloud VPC using IPsec (IKEv1/IKEv2) to protect all data in transit. This directly meets the requirement for encryption, as traffic traverses the public internet or a Direct Connect connection with encryption enabled.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
AWS Transit Gateway
Why it's wrong here
Transit Gateway is a network transit hub, does not itself provide encryption.
AWS Route 53 Resolver
Why it's wrong here
Route 53 Resolver is for DNS, not encryption.
AWS Site-to-Site VPN
AWS Direct Connect
Why it's wrong here
Direct Connect provides a private connection but does not encrypt data by default.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often assume Direct Connect inherently encrypts traffic because it is a private connection, but it does not; encryption must be explicitly implemented, and the VPN is the direct solution for encryption in transit.
Detailed technical explanation
AWS Site-to-Site VPN uses IPsec tunnels with AES-256 encryption and SHA-256 hashing, supporting both IKEv1 and IKEv2 for key exchange. In a real-world scenario, an administrator might combine Direct Connect with a VPN (using a virtual private gateway or transit gateway with VPN attachments) to achieve both low latency and encryption, but the question specifically asks for encryption in transit, which the VPN alone provides.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A developer is choosing between AES-256 (symmetric) and RSA-2048 (asymmetric) for encrypting a large file that will be sent to a partner. Symmetric encryption is fast but requires key exchange; asymmetric is slower but solves the key distribution problem. A hybrid approach — encrypt the file with AES, encrypt the AES key with RSA — is standard. Questions like this test whether you understand when each approach applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
Cloud Platform and Infrastructure Security — This question tests Cloud Platform and Infrastructure Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: AWS Site-to-Site VPN — AWS Site-to-Site VPN creates an encrypted tunnel between an on-premises data center and a cloud VPC using IPsec (IKEv1/IKEv2) to protect all data in transit. This directly meets the requirement for encryption, as traffic traverses the public internet or a Direct Connect connection with encryption enabled.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This CCSP practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 CCSP exam.
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