CCSP Cloud Platform and Infrastructure Security Practice Question
A company is deploying a serverless function in AWS Lambda that needs to access a private RDS database. Which TWO configurations are necessary for secure access?
⚠ Common exam trap
The CCSP exam often tests the misconception that Lambda functions can directly access private resources without VPC integration, or that public IPs or Internet Gateways are needed for private connectivity, leading candidates to select options like C or D instead of recognizing the necessity of VPC integration and proper IAM roles.
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 VPC integration for the Lambda function
Lambda functions must be attached to a VPC using VPC integration to access resources inside a private subnet, such as an RDS database. Without VPC integration, the Lambda function runs in an AWS-managed VPC and cannot reach resources in the customer’s VPC. This configuration requires the Lambda function to be associated with the same VPC, subnets, and security groups as the RDS instance.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Disable TLS for the database connection
Why it's wrong here
TLS should be enforced for encrypting data in transit.
- ✓
Configure VPC integration for the Lambda function
Why this is correct
VPC integration allows Lambda to access resources in a VPC.
- ✗
Attach an Internet Gateway to the Lambda function
Why it's wrong here
Internet Gateway is not needed; Lambda should use VPC integration.
- ✗
Assign a public IP address to the Lambda function
Why it's wrong here
Lambda functions do not have public IPs; VPC integration uses ENIs.
- ✓
Create an execution role with permissions to the RDS database
Why this is correct
The execution role grants the function the necessary database access.
Visual reference
Quick reference
Cloud Service Model Comparison
| Model | You Manage | Provider Manages | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| IaaS | OS, runtime, apps, data | Hardware, hypervisor, networking | EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute Engine |
| PaaS | Apps and data | OS, runtime, middleware, hardware | Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service |
| SaaS | Data and settings only | Everything else | Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday |
| FaaS / Serverless | Function code only | Infra, scaling, runtime | Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Run |
| CaaS | Containers and apps | Kubernetes, OS, hardware | EKS, AKS, GKE |
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every CCSP question from scratch — 964 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.