The correct three actions are to enable a system-assigned Managed Identity for the App Service, configure the Azure SQL Database firewall to allow Azure services, and store the database connection string in Azure Key Vault with access granted to the Managed Identity. This approach eliminates hard-coded secrets by letting the App Service authenticate to Key Vault without storing credentials, while the firewall rule ensures the SQL Database accepts connections only from trusted Azure origins. On the AZ-204 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the “secure by design” principle for PaaS services, often appearing as a multi-select question where traps include choosing “store connection strings in App Settings” (which still exposes secrets) or “disable TLS” (which breaks encryption). The key insight is that Managed Identity + Key Vault replaces connection strings entirely, and the firewall rule is a separate network control. Remember the mnemonic: **MIF-KV** — Managed Identity First, then Key Vault for secrets, and Firewall for network isolation.
AZ-204 Practice Question: Connect to and consume Azure services and third-party services
This AZ-204 practice question tests your understanding of connect to and consume azure services and third-party services. 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.
Which THREE actions should be taken to secure an Azure App Service web app that accesses an Azure SQL Database? (Choose three.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable Managed Identity for the App Service.
Enable Managed Identity (A), configure firewall (C), and use Azure Key Vault (E) are security best practices. Use connection strings in app settings (B) is less secure. Disable TLS (D) is insecure.
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 connection string in App Service application settings.
Why it's wrong here
Connection string contains credentials; better to use managed identity.
✓
Enable Managed Identity for the App Service.
Why this is correct
Allows identity-based authentication without secrets.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Use Azure Key Vault to store secrets and reference them from the app.
Why this is correct
Centralizes secret management.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Configure Azure SQL Database firewall to allow Azure services.
Why this is correct
Allows Azure services to connect.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Disable TLS 1.2 on the App Service.
Why it's wrong here
Weaken security; should enforce TLS 1.2 or higher.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-204 question in full detail.
Identify which AZ-204 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Connect to and consume Azure services and third-party services — This question tests Connect to and consume Azure services and third-party services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable Managed Identity for the App Service. — Enable Managed Identity (A), configure firewall (C), and use Azure Key Vault (E) are security best practices. Use connection strings in app settings (B) is less secure. Disable TLS (D) is insecure.
What should I do if I get this AZ-204 question wrong?
Identify which AZ-204 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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 →
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. Which TWO actions should you take to securely store and retrieve secrets for an Azure App Service application? (Choose two.)
medium
✓ A.Configure a Key Vault access policy for the App Service managed identity
B.Store connection strings as plain text in the application code
✓ C.Store secrets in Azure Key Vault
D.Generate SAS tokens in Key Vault
E.Store secrets in the App Service application settings
Why A: Option A is correct: Azure Key Vault is the recommended service for storing secrets. Option C is correct: Access policies in Key Vault control access to secrets. Option B is wrong because storing secrets in app settings is insecure. Option D is wrong because connection strings should not be hardcoded; they should be retrieved from Key Vault. Option E is wrong because Key Vault does not generate SAS tokens; they are generated by the application.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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