This VA-003 practice question tests your understanding of utilize vault cli and api. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 engineer wants to list all secrets under the path 'myapp/' in a KV v2 secrets engine mounted at 'secret/'. Which API call should they make?
LIST /v1/secret/data/myapp/
Why wrong: Listing is done on the metadata path, not data.
POST /v1/secret/metadata/myapp/
Why wrong: Listing requires GET, not POST.
GET /v1/secret/metadata/myapp/
This endpoint lists the secrets under the specified path in the metadata store.
GET /v1/secret/myapp/
Why wrong: This endpoint is for reading a secret at the data path, not listing.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
GET /v1/secret/metadata/myapp/
Option C is correct because in Vault KV v2, the LIST operation for secrets under a path is performed using a GET request to the `/v1/secret/metadata/myapp/` endpoint. This endpoint returns the list of secrets (keys) at that path, as the metadata path is used for listing and managing secret metadata, including subkeys. The trailing slash is required to indicate a directory listing.
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.
LIST /v1/secret/data/myapp/
Why it's wrong here
Listing is done on the metadata path, not data.
POST /v1/secret/metadata/myapp/
Why it's wrong here
Listing requires GET, not POST.
GET /v1/secret/metadata/myapp/
Why this is correct
This endpoint lists the secrets under the specified path in the metadata store.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
GET /v1/secret/myapp/
Why it's wrong here
This endpoint is for reading a secret at the data path, not listing.
Common exam traps
HashiCorp often tests the distinction between KV v1 and KV v2 API paths, and the trap here is that candidates confuse the data path (used for reading/writing secret values) with the metadata path (used for listing and managing secret metadata), leading them to select Option A or D.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, Vault KV v2 separates data and metadata into distinct API paths: `/v1/secret/data/` for CRUD operations on secret versions, and `/v1/secret/metadata/` for listing, deleting, and managing metadata (including version history). The LIST operation is implemented as a GET request to the metadata endpoint with a trailing slash, which triggers Vault's internal directory listing logic. In real-world scenarios, this distinction prevents accidental exposure of secret values when only a list of keys is needed, and is critical for automation scripts that enumerate secrets without reading their contents.
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
Utilize Vault CLI and API — This question tests Utilize Vault CLI and API — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: GET /v1/secret/metadata/myapp/ — Option C is correct because in Vault KV v2, the LIST operation for secrets under a path is performed using a GET request to the `/v1/secret/metadata/myapp/` endpoint. This endpoint returns the list of secrets (keys) at that path, as the metadata path is used for listing and managing secret metadata, including subkeys. The trailing slash is required to indicate a directory listing.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
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