- A
Store the storage account key in the app configuration and use it from the application
Why wrong: Account keys work, but they create secret management overhead and are not credential-free.
- B
Enable a system-assigned managed identity for the app and grant it a storage data role
Managed identity allows the app to authenticate to Storage with Microsoft Entra ID and no stored secret.
- C
Create an anonymous public container so the app can upload without authentication
Why wrong: Anonymous access is insecure and does not provide the required controlled upload authentication.
- D
Use a shared access signature generated from the storage account root key
Why wrong: A SAS is temporary, but generating it from an account key still depends on a stored secret.
Question 82 of 1,170
Azure App Service Managed Identity for Blob Upload
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of implement and manage storage. 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.
A web app running in Azure App Service must upload files to a blob container. The team wants to avoid storing any secrets in application settings and wants the app to authenticate without a password or access key. What should the administrator configure?
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
✓
Enable a system-assigned managed identity for the app and grant it a storage data role
Option B is correct because a system-assigned managed identity allows the App Service to authenticate to Azure Storage without storing any secrets. By granting the identity the 'Storage Blob Data Contributor' role via Azure RBAC, the app can upload files using Azure AD authentication, eliminating the need for passwords or access keys.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Store the storage account key in the app configuration and use it from the application
Why it's wrong here
Account keys work, but they create secret management overhead and are not credential-free.
When this WOULD be correct
This option would be correct if the question allowed storing secrets in application settings and did not mandate passwordless authentication. For example, if the requirement was simply to connect to blob storage from App Service without specifying secretless methods, using the storage account key in app settings would be a valid approach.
- ✓
Enable a system-assigned managed identity for the app and grant it a storage data role
Why this is correct
Managed identity allows the app to authenticate to Storage with Microsoft Entra ID and no stored secret.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Create an anonymous public container so the app can upload without authentication
Why it's wrong here
Anonymous access is insecure and does not provide the required controlled upload authentication.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question asked for a solution to allow public read access to blobs (e.g., for a static website) without requiring authentication, and the app only needs to read files, then an anonymous public container would be correct.
- ✗
Use a shared access signature generated from the storage account root key
Why it's wrong here
A SAS is temporary, but generating it from an account key still depends on a stored secret.
When this WOULD be correct
This option would be correct if the question asked for a time-limited, delegated access method for a specific blob container without requiring the app to have a managed identity, and the SAS could be generated externally (e.g., by a separate secure service) and passed to the app.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The AZ-104 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓Enable a system-assigned managed identity for the app and grant it a storage data roleCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
Managed identity allows the app to authenticate to Storage with Microsoft Entra ID and no stored secret.
✗Store the storage account key in the app configuration and use it from the applicationWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The question explicitly requires avoiding secrets in application settings and authenticating without a password or access key. Storing the storage account key in app configuration violates both requirements, as the key is a secret and must be stored securely.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This option would be correct if the question allowed storing secrets in application settings and did not mandate passwordless authentication. For example, if the requirement was simply to connect to blob storage from App Service without specifying secretless methods, using the storage account key in app settings would be a valid approach.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may default to using storage account keys because it's a familiar and straightforward method for accessing Azure Storage, and they might overlook the specific requirement to avoid secrets and use passwordless authentication.
✗Create an anonymous public container so the app can upload without authenticationWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The question requires authenticated uploads without secrets; anonymous public containers allow unauthenticated access, violating the requirement to avoid secrets and potentially exposing the container to unauthorized uploads.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question asked for a solution to allow public read access to blobs (e.g., for a static website) without requiring authentication, and the app only needs to read files, then an anonymous public container would be correct.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think anonymous access simplifies authentication by removing the need for keys, but they overlook the security implications and the requirement for authenticated uploads.
✗Use a shared access signature generated from the storage account root keyWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The question requires passwordless authentication without secrets, but a shared access signature (SAS) is derived from a storage account key, which is a secret. The SAS itself must be stored or generated at runtime, introducing a secret management issue.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This option would be correct if the question asked for a time-limited, delegated access method for a specific blob container without requiring the app to have a managed identity, and the SAS could be generated externally (e.g., by a separate secure service) and passed to the app.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think SAS provides secure, keyless access because it can be scoped and expired, but they overlook that generating a SAS requires a key, which violates the 'no secrets' constraint.
Analysis generated from the official AZ-104blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse managed identities with SAS tokens or access keys, assuming any form of shared secret is acceptable, but the question explicitly requires no secrets in application settings and no password or access key.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, a system-assigned managed identity creates a service principal in Azure AD tied to the App Service resource. The app uses the Azure Identity SDK to obtain an OAuth 2.0 token from the Azure Instance Metadata Service (IMDS) endpoint, then passes it as a Bearer token in the Authorization header to Blob Storage. This approach supports role-based access control (RBAC) with granular permissions, and the token is automatically rotated, eliminating key rotation overhead.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Implement and Manage Storage — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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Implement and Manage Storage practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-104 question test?
Implement and Manage Storage — This question tests Implement and Manage Storage — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable a system-assigned managed identity for the app and grant it a storage data role — Option B is correct because a system-assigned managed identity allows the App Service to authenticate to Azure Storage without storing any secrets. By granting the identity the 'Storage Blob Data Contributor' role via Azure RBAC, the app can upload files using Azure AD authentication, eliminating the need for passwords or access keys.
What should I do if I get this AZ-104 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
3 more ways this is tested on AZ-104
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A web app running in Azure App Service must upload images to a blob container without storing any account keys, passwords, or connection strings in configuration. The app uses only one Azure resource. What should the administrator configure?
medium- ✓ A.A system-assigned managed identity on the App Service and an Azure RBAC role on the storage account.
- B.The storage account key, because it is the simplest way to authenticate an application securely.
- C.A shared access signature embedded in the app settings, because SAS is the same as managed identity.
- D.An anonymous public container with write access disabled on the account.
Why A: A system-assigned managed identity allows the App Service to authenticate to Azure Storage without storing any credentials in configuration. By assigning the RBAC role (e.g., Storage Blob Data Contributor) to that identity, the app can securely upload images using Azure AD authentication, meeting the requirement of no account keys, passwords, or connection strings.
Variation 2. A web app running in Azure App Service must read blobs from a storage account. The app must authenticate without storing secrets or SAS tokens, and administrators should grant only blob data permissions, not storage management permissions. What should you configure?
medium- A.The storage account access key in an application setting, because it works with any blob operation.
- ✓ B.A system-assigned managed identity for the app with Storage Blob Data Reader assigned at the storage scope.
- C.The Contributor role on the storage account, because it includes both management and data permissions.
- D.A service endpoint on the subnet, because service endpoints are used for application authentication.
Why B: Option B is correct because a system-assigned managed identity allows the App Service to authenticate to Azure Storage without storing any secrets or SAS tokens. By assigning the Storage Blob Data Reader role at the storage account scope, you grant only the necessary blob read permissions while explicitly excluding any storage management permissions (e.g., creating or deleting storage accounts). This aligns with the principle of least privilege and eliminates credential management overhead.
Variation 3. A web API running in an Azure App Service needs to read and write blobs in a storage account. The operations team does not want to store secrets in app settings or rotate credentials manually. What should they enable on the App Service?
medium- A.A storage account access key stored in Key Vault
- ✓ B.A system-assigned managed identity
- C.A shared access signature embedded in the application settings
- D.A service endpoint on the App Service integration subnet
Why B: A system-assigned managed identity allows the App Service to authenticate to Azure Storage without storing any secrets. The identity is automatically managed by Azure AD, and the App Service can use it to obtain an OAuth 2.0 token for accessing blob storage via RBAC. This eliminates the need for manual credential rotation and secret storage.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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