COF-C03 Account Management and Data Governance Practice Question
Which object type in Snowflake is required to store a compiled masking policy before it can be applied to a table column?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse the masking policy object with the table column itself. They assume applying the policy creates the object, rather than realizing the policy must exist independently beforehand.
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
✓
A masking policy object.
In Snowflake, masking policies are independent, schema-level objects. Before a policy can be enforced on a column, it must be created using the 'CREATE MASKING POLICY' command. This object encapsulates the logic for transformation and the conditional access rules. Once defined, the policy is then mapped to one or more columns via an 'ALTER TABLE' statement or during table creation, providing a modular approach to data governance.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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A stored procedure.
Why it's wrong here
Stored procedures are used for executing procedural SQL code to automate tasks or perform complex transformations. They are not the container object for masking policy logic, which requires specific declarative syntax that Snowflake's policy engine parses to apply masks during query compilation and execution time.
- ✓
A masking policy object.
Why this is correct
A masking policy is a first-class schema object in Snowflake. It defines the logic that determines whether data is returned as-is or masked based on the user's role. Once created, it remains dormant until explicitly assigned to a column, allowing for reusable security definitions across multiple tables.
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A data masking role.
Why it's wrong here
Roles in Snowflake are used for access control (RBAC), defining what actions a user can perform on objects. There is no such object type as a 'data masking role.' While roles are used to evaluate policy conditions, they do not store the logic for how data is masked.
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A secure function.
Why it's wrong here
While masking policies use SQL functions internally to transform data, the policy itself is a distinct object type. A secure function is a user-defined function (UDF) that has been marked as secure to prevent information leakage, but it cannot be directly applied to a column to enforce masking.
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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
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