VA-003 Create Vault policies Practice Question
A security administrator wants to create a policy that allows a service to renew its own token and list its own token capabilities, but not create new tokens. Which policy statements should be included?
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
✓
path "auth/token/renew-self" { capabilities = ["update"] }; path "auth/token/capabilities-self" { capabilities = ["read"] }
It uses the correct endpoints and capabilities: update for renew-self and read for capabilities-self. Option B uses create for renew-self, which is incorrect (renew-self requires update). Option C uses update for capabilities-self, which is wrong (capabilities-self requires read). Option D uses non-self endpoints (renew and capabilities) which would allow renewing or checking capabilities of any token, granting broader privileges than intended.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
path "auth/token/renew-self" { capabilities = ["update"] }; path "auth/token/capabilities-self" { capabilities = ["read"] }
Why this is correct
This is correct: renew-self uses update, capabilities-self uses read.
- ✗
path "auth/token/renew-self" { capabilities = ["create"] }; path "auth/token/lookup-self" { capabilities = ["read"] }
Why it's wrong here
Renew-self requires update, not create; also lookup-self is not the same as capabilities.
- ✗
path "auth/token/renew-self" { capabilities = ["update"] }; path "auth/token/capabilities-self" { capabilities = ["update"] }
Why it's wrong here
Using update for capabilities-self is incorrect; it should be read.
- ✗
path "auth/token/renew" { capabilities = ["update"] }; path "auth/token/capabilities" { capabilities = ["read"] }
Why it's wrong here
These are non-self endpoints, which would allow renewing or checking capabilities for any token, violating least privilege.
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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.