Quick Answer
The answer is a user delegation shared access signature (SAS). This is the correct choice because a user delegation SAS is the only type of SAS secured with Azure AD credentials, meaning it grants delegated access without exposing the storage account key. It allows you to specify granular permissions—such as read and write on a specific container—and set a precise expiration time, like 24 hours, perfectly matching the requirement. On the Microsoft Azure Developer Associate AZ-204 exam, this question tests your understanding of the three SAS types (service, account, and user delegation) and when to use Azure AD-based authorization over key-based access. A common trap is choosing a service SAS, which still relies on the storage account key; remember that any time the question emphasizes “without exposing the account key,” you must think user delegation. Memory tip: “User delegation = User AD credentials, no key exposure.”
This AZ-204 practice question tests your understanding of develop for azure storage. 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 need to grant a user the ability to read and write blobs in a specific container for 24 hours. The solution must use delegated access without exposing the storage account key. What should you use?
Storage account access key
Why wrong: Access keys are not delegated and expose full access.
Account shared access signature (SAS)
Why wrong: Account SAS uses the account key.
Service shared access signature (SAS)
Why wrong: Service SAS uses the account key.
User delegation shared access signature (SAS)
User delegation SAS uses Entra ID, no key exposure.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
User delegation shared access signature (SAS)
A user delegation SAS is secured with Azure AD credentials and is the only SAS type that uses delegated authorization without exposing the storage account key. It allows you to grant granular, time-limited access (e.g., 24 hours) to a specific container for read and write operations, meeting the requirement exactly.
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.
Storage account access key
Why it's wrong here
Access keys are not delegated and expose full access.
Account shared access signature (SAS)
Why it's wrong here
Account SAS uses the account key.
Service shared access signature (SAS)
Why it's wrong here
Service SAS uses the account key.
User delegation shared access signature (SAS)
Why this is correct
User delegation SAS uses Entra ID, no key exposure.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse a service SAS (which is scoped to a single service like Blob) with a user delegation SAS, but the key differentiator is that a user delegation SAS uses Azure AD for signing, not the account key.
Detailed technical explanation
A user delegation SAS is generated using Azure AD credentials via the `UserDelegationKey` obtained from the `Get User Delegation Key` REST API operation. This key is valid for up to 7 days and is used to sign the SAS token, ensuring the permissions are tied to the requesting user's identity. In practice, this is ideal for scenarios like granting temporary access to a contractor for a specific blob container without sharing the account key or creating a full RBAC role assignment.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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.
What to study next
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FAQ
Develop for Azure storage — This question tests Develop for Azure storage — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: User delegation shared access signature (SAS) — A user delegation SAS is secured with Azure AD credentials and is the only SAS type that uses delegated authorization without exposing the storage account key. It allows you to grant granular, time-limited access (e.g., 24 hours) to a specific container for read and write operations, meeting the requirement exactly.
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.
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
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. You need to grant access to a blob stored in Azure Blob Storage for 30 minutes to a user who does not have an Azure account. Which security mechanism should you use?
easyWhy D: A Shared Access Signature (SAS) token is the correct choice because it provides delegated, time-limited access to a specific blob resource without requiring the user to have an Azure account. You can set the token's expiry to 30 minutes, granting temporary access via a URI that includes the necessary authentication parameters. This mechanism is designed for scenarios where you need to grant granular, time-bound access to external users or clients.
Variation 2. You need to provide temporary access to a file in Azure Blob Storage for a duration of one hour. The solution must not require authentication. What should you generate?
easyWhy D: Option D is correct because a shared access signature (SAS) with read permission and a one-hour expiration provides time-limited, delegated access to a specific blob without requiring authentication. The SAS token is appended to the URL and grants the specified permissions for the defined duration, meeting the requirement of temporary access without authentication.
Variation 3. You need to implement a shared access signature (SAS) for an Azure blob container that allows a client to list blobs and read blob contents. The SAS must be valid for one hour and should not allow write or delete operations. Which permissions should you include in the SAS token?
mediumWhy B: Option B is correct because the SAS token needs 'r' (read) to allow reading blob contents and 'l' (list) to allow listing blobs in the container. These two permissions together satisfy the requirement for read-only access without write or delete capabilities.
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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