This VA-003 practice question tests your understanding of compare and configure secrets engines. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
An administrator wants to view all currently enabled secrets engines and their mount paths. Which command provides this information?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "which command"
Why it matters: Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
vault list sys/mounts
Why wrong: List on sys/mounts is not the correct endpoint; it's read.
vault secrets list
vault secrets list or 'vault read sys/mounts' shows all mounted engines.
vault secrets show
Why wrong: This is not a valid Vault command.
vault read sys/mounts
Also correct, but since only one correct answer expected, A is the standard command.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
vault secrets list
The correct command is `vault secrets list` (or its alias `vault secrets list -detailed`), which displays all enabled secrets engines along with their mount paths, accessor, type, and configuration. This is the standard CLI command for enumerating secrets engines in Vault, equivalent to reading the `sys/mounts` endpoint but with a user-friendly output format.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
vault list sys/mounts
Why it's wrong here
List on sys/mounts is not the correct endpoint; it's read.
vault secrets list
Why this is correct
vault secrets list or 'vault read sys/mounts' shows all mounted engines.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "which command" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
vault secrets show
Why it's wrong here
This is not a valid Vault command.
vault read sys/mounts
Why this is correct
Also correct, but since only one correct answer expected, A is the standard command.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "which command" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
HashiCorp often tests the distinction between `list` and `read` on the `sys/mounts` path, where candidates mistakenly think `list` is valid, but Vault only supports `read` on that endpoint, and the recommended user-facing command is `vault secrets list`.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
This is not a valid Vault command.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, `vault secrets list` sends a GET request to the `/v1/sys/mounts` API endpoint, which returns a JSON object containing all enabled secrets engines and their metadata. The CLI automatically parses this response into a readable table; using `-detailed` also shows tuning parameters like default lease TTL and max lease TTL. In real-world scenarios, this command is essential for auditing mount paths before configuring policies or performing migrations.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
Compare and configure secrets engines — This question tests Compare and configure secrets engines — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: vault secrets list — The correct command is `vault secrets list` (or its alias `vault secrets list -detailed`), which displays all enabled secrets engines along with their mount paths, accessor, type, and configuration. This is the standard CLI command for enumerating secrets engines in Vault, equivalent to reading the `sys/mounts` endpoint but with a user-friendly output format.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "which command". Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
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.
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