EX294 Manage automation security and operations Practice Question
This EX294 practice question tests your understanding of manage automation security and operations. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
A managed node is configured with an Ansible vault-encrypted variable file. When running a playbook that uses these variables, the user receives a 'decryption failed' error. Which two steps should the user take to resolve the issue?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Ensure the vault ID matches the one used when encrypting the file.
Option D is correct because Ansible vault supports multiple vault IDs (labels) to manage different passwords for different encrypted files. If the vault ID used during decryption does not match the one used when encrypting the file, Ansible will fail to decrypt it, even if the correct password is provided. The `--vault-id` option or `ANSIBLE_VAULT_ID_MATCH` environment variable must align the ID with the encryption context.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Verify the file permissions are set to 600.
Why it's wrong here
File permissions do not affect Ansible vault decryption.
✗
Check that the SSH private key has access to the managed node.
Make sure the vault password file contains the path to the vault file.
Why it's wrong here
Vault password file should contain the password, not the file path.
✓
Ensure the vault ID matches the one used when encrypting the file.
Why this is correct
Vault ID must match if used during encryption.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Verify the correct vault password is being provided.
Why this is correct
The vault password is required for decryption.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume 'decryption failed' always means a wrong password, overlooking that Ansible vault IDs must match exactly when multiple vault passwords are in use.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Ansible vault uses AES-256 encryption in CBC mode with a PBKDF2-derived key. When using vault IDs, the ID is stored as metadata in the encrypted file header (e.g., `$ANSIBLE_VAULT;1.2;AES256;vault_id`). During decryption, Ansible matches the provided vault ID against this header; a mismatch causes a 'decryption failed' error even if the password is correct. In real-world scenarios, teams often use separate vault IDs for different environments (e.g., `dev`, `prod`) to enforce password segregation.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Manage automation security and operations — This question tests Manage automation security and operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Ensure the vault ID matches the one used when encrypting the file. — Option D is correct because Ansible vault supports multiple vault IDs (labels) to manage different passwords for different encrypted files. If the vault ID used during decryption does not match the one used when encrypting the file, Ansible will fail to decrypt it, even if the correct password is provided. The `--vault-id` option or `ANSIBLE_VAULT_ID_MATCH` environment variable must align the ID with the encryption context.
What should I do if I get this EX294 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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