EX294 Manage automation security and operations Practice Question
An organization requires that all Ansible playbooks be executed using a specific service account that has limited permissions. The account can only run playbooks from a specific directory. Which approach best enforces this requirement in automation controller?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse execution environments (containers) with project-level access controls, or mistakenly think inventory or credentials can restrict which playbook directory is used, when in fact only Project permissions enforce that restriction in Automation Controller.
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
✓
Create a project that syncs only the authorized directory, and assign the service account as the only user with execute permissions on that project.
Automation Controller (formerly Ansible Tower) uses Projects to manage playbook source code. By creating a Project that syncs only the authorized directory and assigning the service account as the only user with execute permissions on that Project, you restrict the service account to running playbooks exclusively from that directory. This enforces the requirement at the platform level, leveraging role-based access control (RBAC) within the controller.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Use an inventory that contains only the allowed hosts.
Why it's wrong here
Inventory does not restrict which playbooks can be run.
- ✗
Configure an execution environment that mounts the authorized directory as read-only.
Why it's wrong here
Execution environments provide runtime dependencies, not execution path restrictions.
- ✓
Create a project that syncs only the authorized directory, and assign the service account as the only user with execute permissions on that project.
Why this is correct
Projects control source of playbooks; RBAC can restrict execution to that project.
- ✗
Assign the service account a machine credential that connects to the controller via SSH.
Why it's wrong here
Machine credentials provide authentication, not path restrictions.
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
About these practice questions
This EX294 question is part of Courseiva's 520-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
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.