ARA-C01 Accounts and Security Practice Question
A company wants to allow their data analysts to query data in a specific database but prevent them from viewing the underlying table definitions. Which Snowflake feature should the architect recommend?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse data filtering features like row access policies or masking with the ability to hide object definitions, which is specific to secure views.
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
✓
Secure views
Secure views hide both the view definition and the underlying table definitions from users who do not have the necessary privileges. When analysts query a secure view, they can retrieve data without seeing the SQL or the base tables. This makes secure views the appropriate feature to meet the requirement of querying data while preventing viewing of table definitions.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Object tagging
Why it's wrong here
Object tagging is used to attach metadata to objects for governance and discovery, but it does not restrict access or hide definitions. Tags are visible to users with access to the object and do not prevent viewing of table definitions. This feature is unrelated to the requirement of allowing queries while hiding the underlying schema, so it is not the correct choice.
- ✗
Column-level security
Why it's wrong here
Column-level security, such as masking policies, allows or denies access to specific columns but does not hide the table definition itself. Users can still see the table's columns and data types, and if they have access, they can view the table's DDL. This feature is about protecting sensitive data within columns, not about hiding the overall table structure.
- ✓
Secure views
Why this is correct
Secure views are designed to hide the view definition and the underlying query logic from users who do not have the necessary privileges. When a user queries a secure view, they can access the data but cannot see the view's SQL definition or the base tables. This directly meets the requirement of allowing queries while preventing viewing of table definitions, as the view abstracts the underlying schema.
- ✗
Row access policies
Why it's wrong here
Row access policies control which rows a user can see based on conditions, but they do not hide table definitions. Users with access to the table can still view its structure and definition. Row access policies are about data filtering, not about obscuring schema details. Therefore, they do not satisfy the requirement of preventing analysts from viewing table definitions.
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every ARA-C01 question from scratch — 209 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Snowflake exam blueprint
This ARA-C01 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Snowflake 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 ARA-C01 exam.