VA-003 Assess Vault tokens Practice Question
Exhibit
```
path "secret/data/engineering/*" {
capabilities = ["read", "list"]
}
path "secret/data/finance/*" {
capabilities = ["create", "update"]
}
```Refer to the exhibit. A token has this policy. Which action can the token perform?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common misconception is that a wildcard path like 'secret/data/engineering/*' implies all capabilities (create, read, update, delete, list) on that path, when in fact only the explicitly listed capabilities are allowed.
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
✓
Read a secret at "secret/data/engineering/db-pass"
The token's policy grants 'read' capability on 'secret/data/engineering/*' via the 'data' path. Since 'secret/data/engineering/db-pass' falls under that wildcard, the token can read it. The policy does not allow 'update', 'list', or 'delete' actions on the specified paths.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Update a secret at "secret/data/engineering/config"
Why it's wrong here
The policy grants read and list capabilities on that path, not create or update, so writing the secret is denied. Update is tempting because operators routinely rotate engineering credentials, and a policy carrying create/update on secret/data/engineering/* would make this the right answer.
- ✓
Read a secret at "secret/data/engineering/db-pass"
Why this is correct
The policy grants read capability on the secret/data/engineering/db-pass path, so the token can retrieve that secret's data. Reading requires the read capability on the exact path, which this policy explicitly permits, satisfying the stem's action requirement.
- ✗
List secrets at "secret/data/finance/"
Why it's wrong here
Listing requires the list capability on the exact path prefix, which the policy does not grant for finance. Enumeration is tempting because discovering secret names precedes reading them, and a policy granting list on secret/data/finance/* would permit this.
- ✗
Delete a secret at "secret/data/finance/budget"
Why it's wrong here
The policy omits delete on the finance path, so the token cannot remove the budget secret. Deletion is tempting because lifecycle cleanup of finance data is a common task, and a policy granting delete on secret/data/finance/* would make this action valid.
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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.