hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
DP-203 Practice Question: A company has an Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2…
A company has an Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 account. They want to ensure that only users with the 'Data Reader' role can access files in a specific container, while other users cannot list or read files. The storage account has hierarchical namespace enabled. What is the most secure and manageable approach?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse row-level security (a database concept) with file-level security in Data Lake Storage, or they assume that a storage firewall can filter by user role, when in fact it only filters by network source IP.
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
✓
Set POSIX-like access control lists (ACLs) on the container folder for the Data Reader role
Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 with hierarchical namespace enabled supports POSIX-like access control lists (ACLs) at the container and folder level. By setting ACLs on the specific container folder to grant 'Read' and 'Execute' permissions only to the 'Data Reader' role (or its associated security group), you enforce least-privilege access without affecting other containers. This approach is both secure and manageable, as ACLs are inherited by default and can be centrally managed via Azure RBAC integration.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Assign the Storage Blob Data Reader role at the storage account level and use row-level security
Why it's wrong here
RBAC at account level applies to all containers; row-level security is not for storage.
- ✗
Generate a shared access signature (SAS) token for each user
Why it's wrong here
SAS tokens are less manageable and require token distribution.
- ✗
Configure a storage firewall to allow only the Data Reader role's IP addresses
Why it's wrong here
Firewall controls network access, not user-level permissions.
- ✓
Set POSIX-like access control lists (ACLs) on the container folder for the Data Reader role
Why this is correct
ACLs provide fine-grained permissions at the file/directory level for specific users/groups.
Visual reference
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 |
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to Azure Data Engineering
Key term
Azure Data Lake Gen2
Azure Data Lake Gen2 is a cloud-based data storage service that combines the scalability and performance of a data lake with the hierarchical file system and security of a data warehouse, designed for big data analytics.
Key term
Azure RBAC for Data
Azure RBAC for Data is a security system that controls who can read, write, or manage data in Azure storage services using role-based permissions.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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