The answer is a shared access signature (SAS) URI with read permission and an expiry set to 24 hours. This is correct because a SAS token provides delegated, time-limited access to a specific Azure Storage resource—here, a container—without exposing the storage account key, which satisfies the requirement for secure, read-only partner access. On the Microsoft Azure Developer Associate AZ-204 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of SAS as a secure delegation mechanism versus using account keys or Azure AD authentication for temporary external access. A common trap is confusing a stored access policy with an ad-hoc SAS; remember that for a one-off 24-hour grant, an ad-hoc SAS with an explicit expiry is the simplest solution. Memory tip: think “SAS = Secure, Access, Scoped”—it locks permissions to a container, a read action, and a clock.
AZ-204 Implement Azure security Practice Question
This AZ-204 practice question tests your understanding of implement azure security. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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.
You have an Azure Storage account that hosts blobs for a public website. You need to grant a partner application read-only access to a specific container for 24 hours without using a storage account key. What should you create?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
A shared access signature (SAS) URI with read permission and expiry set to 24 hours
A shared access signature (SAS) URI with read permission and a 24-hour expiry provides time-limited, delegated access to a specific container without exposing the storage account key. This meets the requirement for read-only access for exactly 24 hours, as the SAS token can be scoped to a single container and its permissions set to read.
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.
✓
A shared access signature (SAS) URI with read permission and expiry set to 24 hours
Why this is correct
SAS provides time-limited, scoped access without exposing account key.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
An access policy for the container with read permission
Why it's wrong here
Access policies are stored access policies that can be used with SAS but still require a SAS token; they are not directly used for access.
✗
A storage account key
Why it's wrong here
Storage account key grants full access and never expires unless rotated.
✗
A managed identity for the partner application
Why it's wrong here
Managed identity requires the partner to be in Azure and have RBAC role assignment, which is not time-bound.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse a stored access policy (Option B) with a SAS, not realizing that a policy alone does not grant access—it only defines constraints that a SAS must reference, and without a SAS token, no access is provided.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
A SAS URI includes a token with a signature generated from the storage account key, but the key itself is never shared. The SAS can be scoped to a container, set with read permission, and configured with an expiry time down to seconds. Under the hood, the SAS token is validated by Azure Storage against the stored access policy or inline parameters, ensuring that even if the token is intercepted, it cannot be used beyond its expiry or for unauthorized operations.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-204 question in full detail.
Implement Azure security — This question tests Implement Azure security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: A shared access signature (SAS) URI with read permission and expiry set to 24 hours — A shared access signature (SAS) URI with read permission and a 24-hour expiry provides time-limited, delegated access to a specific container without exposing the storage account key. This meets the requirement for read-only access for exactly 24 hours, as the SAS token can be scoped to a single container and its permissions set to read.
What should I do if I get this AZ-204 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.
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Question Discussion
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