Databricks-DE-Assoc Databricks Intelligence Platform Practice Question
Exhibit
{
"catalog": "main",
"schema": "dev_analytics",
"table": "orders",
"permissions": {
"user": "data_scientist_1",
"privileges": ["SELECT", "DESCRIBE"]
}
}Refer to the exhibit. A Databricks administrator is using the Unity Catalog JSON policy to manage access. If the 'data_scientist_1' user attempts to execute an 'UPDATE' command on the 'orders' table, what will be the result?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often assume that if a user has access to a table, they have implicit update rights. They forget that Unity Catalog defaults to a strict 'deny' policy for all non-granted actions.
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
✓
The command will fail due to insufficient privileges on the table.
The policy explicitly grants only 'SELECT' and 'DESCRIBE' permissions. In Unity Catalog, if an action is not explicitly permitted, it is denied by default. Therefore, the update attempt will be rejected. This is critical for data engineers to understand because Unity Catalog enforces a strict least-privilege security model, ensuring that only authorized users can modify data, which protects the integrity of tables in a shared environment.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The command will succeed because the user is part of the 'dev_analytics' schema.
Why it's wrong here
Access in Unity Catalog is governed by explicit permissions, not by organizational membership or schema location alone. Being in a schema does not grant elevated privileges to perform data-modifying operations; the user must be specifically granted 'UPDATE' or 'MODIFY' privileges on the table to perform such an action.
- ✓
The command will fail due to insufficient privileges on the table.
Why this is correct
The provided JSON policy only grants 'SELECT' and 'DESCRIBE' permissions. Because Unity Catalog follows a default-deny security posture, the user lacks the required 'UPDATE' or 'MODIFY' permission to alter the contents of the table, causing the Databricks engine to throw an authorization error during the request execution.
- ✗
The command will succeed because 'SELECT' implies 'UPDATE' in Unity Catalog.
Why it's wrong here
Privileges in Unity Catalog are granular and distinct. 'SELECT' allows a user to read data but provides no authority to write, update, or delete records. Granting one privilege does not imply the possession of others, maintaining strict security boundaries to prevent unauthorized modifications by users with read-only access.
- ✗
The command will succeed if the cluster is running in Single User mode.
Why it's wrong here
Unity Catalog security controls are enforced at the service level, independent of the cluster's access mode or configuration. Whether a cluster is in Single User or Shared mode, the security policies defined in the catalog are consistently applied to the identity performing the operation to ensure robust data governance.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Databricks exam blueprint
This Databricks-DE-Assoc practice question is part of Courseiva's free Databricks 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 Databricks-DE-Assoc exam.