VA-003 Compare and configure secrets engines Practice Question
A team wants to store configuration data such as feature flags in Vault. They need to be able to list all keys under a path. Which secrets engine supports listing?
⚠ Common exam trap
HashiCorp often tests the misconception that Cubbyhole supports listing because it is a key-value store, but Cubbyhole is strictly per-token and does not expose a LIST endpoint, making it unsuitable for team-wide configuration enumeration.
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
✓
KV v1
The KV v1 secrets engine stores key-value pairs and supports listing all keys under a path via the LIST operation (e.g., `vault list secret/`). This is because KV v1 maintains a flat, non-versioned directory structure that allows enumeration of keys. The team's requirement to list all keys under a path is directly satisfied by KV v1's inherent listing capability.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Transit
Why it's wrong here
Transit does not support listing; it only provides encryption operations.
- ✓
KV v1
Why this is correct
KV v1 supports LIST operation on paths.
- ✗
Cubbyhole
Why it's wrong here
Cubbyhole does not support listing.
- ✗
PKI
Why it's wrong here
PKI does not support listing of certificates in that way.
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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.