VA-003 Utilize Vault CLI and API Practice Question
A DevOps engineer needs to create a token with a specific policy attached using the Vault API. Which API endpoint and request should they use?
⚠ Common exam trap
HashiCorp often tests the exact API path and JSON key naming conventions, tricking candidates who confuse 'policy' (singular) with 'policies' (array) or omit the 'auth' segment in the endpoint path.
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
✓
POST /v1/auth/token/create with JSON body {"policies":["my-policy"]}
The Vault API endpoint for creating tokens with specific policies is POST /v1/auth/token/create, and the JSON body must include the 'policies' key as an array of strings. This endpoint is part of the token auth method and allows attaching policies at token creation time.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
POST /v1/auth/token/create with JSON body {"policies":["my-policy"]}
Why this is correct
This creates a token with the specified policy.
- ✗
POST /v1/auth/token/create-orphan with JSON body {"policies":["my-policy"]}
Why it's wrong here
This creates an orphan token but not necessarily the standard token creation endpoint.
- ✗
POST /v1/token/create with JSON body {"policy":"my-policy"}
Why it's wrong here
The correct path is /v1/auth/token/create, not /v1/token/create.
- ✗
POST /v1/sys/token with JSON body {"policy":"my-policy"}
Why it's wrong here
/v1/sys/token is not a valid endpoint for token creation.
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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.