DP-203 Access Control Lists (ACLs) Practice Question
Your company uses Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 with hierarchical namespace enabled. You need to ensure that only the 'data-scientists' group can read files in the 'processed' container, while denying access to all other users. You have already configured the storage account firewall to allow access only from your corporate network. What should you do next?
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
✓
Configure access control lists (ACLs) on the 'processed' container to grant read and execute permissions to the data-scientists group and set the default ACL to deny all
In Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 with hierarchical namespace, access control lists (ACLs) provide fine-grained permissions at the directory and file level. By granting read and execute permissions to the 'data-scientists' group on the 'processed' container and setting the default ACL to deny all, you ensure only that group can read files. Option A is incorrect because private endpoints control network access, not identity-based permissions. Option B is incorrect because RBAC roles (like Storage Blob Data Reader) grant permissions at the storage account or container level, and Azure RBAC does not support deny assignments that would block specific users while allowing others at the same scope; a deny assignment would block everyone. Option C is incorrect because managed identities are used for authenticating Azure services, not for granting permissions to a security group.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Create a private endpoint for the storage account and assign the data-scientists group to the private endpoint's access policy
Why it's wrong here
Assigning the Storage Blob Data Reader role at the storage account level would grant the data-scientists group read access to all containers, but you cannot create an RBAC deny assignment that blocks all other users while allowing this group. RBAC deny assignments override allowed assignments globally, not per user/group.
- ✗
Assign the Storage Blob Data Reader role to the data-scientists group at the storage account level and add a deny assignment for all other users
Why it's wrong here
Private endpoints control network access to the storage account, not identity-based permissions. They do not manage which users can read data.
- ✗
Use a managed identity for the data-scientists group and assign the Storage Blob Data Contributor role to the managed identity
Why it's wrong here
Managed identities are used for authentication from Azure services, not for granting permissions to a specific user group. Assigning Storage Blob Data Contributor to a managed identity does not give the data-scientists group any access.
- ✓
Configure access control lists (ACLs) on the 'processed' container to grant read and execute permissions to the data-scientists group and set the default ACL to deny all
Why this is correct
ACLs in ADLS Gen2 allow you to set fine-grained permissions at the file and directory level. By granting read and execute permissions to the data-scientists group on the 'processed' container and setting the default ACL to deny all others, only that group can read files.
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 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.
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.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This DP-203 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the DP-203 exam.