EX294 Manage automation security and operations Practice Question
An automation controller administrator must ensure that a playbook's output does not expose sensitive data. Which TWO actions should be taken? (Choose exactly two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse reducing output verbosity (Option B) with actually hiding sensitive data, not realizing that 'no_log' is the only mechanism that explicitly redacts task arguments and results from all output channels.
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 'no_log: true' on tasks that handle sensitive data.
Only Option A is valid. Setting 'no_log: true' on sensitive tasks prevents Ansible from printing task arguments and output to the console or log files, ensuring that sensitive information like passwords or API keys are not exposed. Option D references 'display_args_to_stdout = false', which is not a valid Ansible configuration option and does not exist. Therefore, only one action is correct.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Set 'no_log: true' on tasks that handle sensitive data.
Why this is correct
This prevents the output of those tasks from being displayed.
- ✗
Set 'stdout_callback = actionable' in ansible.cfg.
Why it's wrong here
This changes callback but does not hide sensitive data.
- ✗
Use 'name: "Sensitive task"' but keep the task body visible.
Why it's wrong here
The task name does not hide output.
- ✗
Add 'display_args_to_stdout = false' to the execution environment's ansible.cfg.
Why it's wrong here
This is not a valid Ansible configuration option. There is no 'display_args_to_stdout' setting in ansible.cfg. The only mechanism to hide sensitive data is 'no_log'.
- ✗
Use 'tags: never' on sensitive tasks.
Why it's wrong here
Tags control task execution, not output visibility.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This EX294 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Red Hat 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 EX294 exam.