VA-003 Compare and configure secrets engines Practice Question
A platform team runs Vault 1.15 with an integrated storage backend. They have enabled the KV v2 secrets engine at the path 'apps/'. A developer deletes the secret at 'apps/data/webapp/db-creds' using `vault kv delete apps/webapp/db-creds`, then immediately reads it back with `vault kv get apps/webapp/db-creds`. What does the developer observe?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that a soft delete behaves like a hard destroy and permanently removes the data, or conversely that a normal read still returns the deleted value.
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 read returns a 404 with 'no value found' because the latest version is soft-deleted and no data is returned by default.
KV v2 separates delete from destroy. The `vault kv delete` command performs a soft delete on the latest version, so a normal read returns 404 and no data. The data is still present in storage and can be recovered with `vault kv undelete` or by reading a specific version that was not deleted. Understanding this distinction is essential for safe secret lifecycle management.
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 read returns a 404 with 'no value found' because the latest version is soft-deleted and no data is returned by default.
Why this is correct
In KV v2, `vault kv delete` performs a soft delete that marks the latest version as deleted. Subsequent reads of the path return HTTP 404 with no data unless a specific non-deleted version is requested. The secret data remains recoverable, but the default read does not surface it, matching the observed 404 behavior.
- ✗
The read returns the previous version of the secret because soft-delete only marks the latest version as deleted.
Why it's wrong here
KV v2 soft delete removes the latest version from the current view; it does not roll back to a prior version. A read after a soft delete returns no data for the latest version, so the developer would not see the previous version. To retrieve an earlier value, the developer must explicitly read a specific version with the version parameter.
- ✗
The read returns a permission denied error because the developer lacks the 'undelete' capability on the path.
Why it's wrong here
Reading a soft-deleted secret does not require the 'undelete' capability. The read operation checks the 'read' capability on the data path, and the response is a 404 rather than a permission error. The 'undelete' capability is only needed to restore a soft-deleted version, not to attempt a read.
- ✗
The read returns the data normally because soft delete only takes effect after a subsequent write operation.
Why it's wrong here
Soft delete takes effect immediately on the latest version; it does not wait for a write. The developer would not see data on a normal read. A write would create a new version, but the deletion already applies to the current version. This option misstates when the soft-delete flag becomes effective.
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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 HashiCorp exam blueprint
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.