VA-003 Explain encryption as a service Practice Question
A healthcare application needs to encrypt sensitive patient data before storing it in a legacy database that does not support encryption. The team wants to use Vault's encryption as a service. However, the application is running on a restricted network that cannot make outbound HTTP requests to Vault. Which solution should the team implement?
⚠ Common exam trap
HashiCorp often tests the misconception that enabling the transit secrets engine alone solves the network restriction, but the key point is that the application still needs a way to call Vault's API—Vault Agent sidecar provides that local proxy without requiring outbound HTTP.
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
✓
Deploy Vault Agent in sidecar mode with a configured encrypt stanza to handle encryption locally.
Vault Agent in sidecar mode runs alongside the application on the same host, handling encryption locally without requiring outbound HTTP requests. The encrypt stanza in the agent configuration allows it to proxy encryption operations to Vault's transit secrets engine, while the application communicates with the agent over a local loopback interface, bypassing network restrictions.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Set up Vault replication from a central Vault to a local Vault instance.
Why it's wrong here
Replication does not eliminate the need for outbound calls.
- ✓
Deploy Vault Agent in sidecar mode with a configured encrypt stanza to handle encryption locally.
Why this is correct
Vault Agent can process encryption locally via a Unix socket.
- ✗
Use Vault's HTTP API from the application to encrypt data directly.
Why it's wrong here
The application cannot make outbound HTTP requests.
- ✗
Enable the transit secrets engine and call Vault's encrypt endpoint.
Why it's wrong here
Same network issue; requires outbound calls.
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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.