VA-003 Compare and configure secrets engines Practice Question
A developer needs to generate a new certificate for an internal web service using the PKI secrets engine. A role named 'webserver' has been created. What is the correct command to issue the certificate?
⚠ Common exam trap
HashiCorp often tests the exact API path structure, where candidates mistakenly assume the role name is part of the path before 'issue' (e.g., `pki/role/issue`) or confuse the issue endpoint with the read endpoint for existing certificates.
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
✓
vault write pki/issue/webserver common_name=web.example.com
The PKI secrets engine uses the path `pki/issue/<role_name>` to issue certificates. The `vault write` command sends a POST request to this endpoint with the required `common_name` parameter, which generates a new certificate signed by the CA associated with the 'webserver' role.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
vault write pki/webserver/issue
Why it's wrong here
The correct endpoint is pki/issue/role, not the reverse.
- ✗
vault write pki/webserver/cert common_name=web.example.com
Why it's wrong here
The endpoint should be issue, not cert.
- ✗
vault read pki/cert/webserver
Why it's wrong here
Reads an existing certificate, does not issue a new one.
- ✓
vault write pki/issue/webserver common_name=web.example.com
Why this is correct
This writes to the issue endpoint for the role 'webserver' with required parameters.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This VA-003 practice question is part of Courseiva's free HashiCorp 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 VA-003 exam.