Certifications
HashiCorp Certified:
Vault Associate (003)
Prove your foundational Vault knowledge and skills in an hour-long multiple-choice exam.
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Read moreWho should take this exam
You should take the Vault Associate certification exam if you are a Cloud Engineer with foundational Vault knowledge and skills. You may specialize in security, development, or operations.
Exam Details
Assessment Type
Multiple choice
Format
Online Proctored
Credential Expiration
2 years
Language
English
Duration
1 hour
Version tested
Vault 1.19
Price
$70.50 USD, plus locally applicable taxes and fees. Free retake not included.
Prerequisites
Basic terminal skills
Understanding of on-premises/cloud architecture
Understanding of security
While professional experience is recommended, you can also prepare by practicing the exam objectives in a personal demo setup
Exam Objectives
- 1a Define the purpose of authentication methods
- 1b Choose an authentication method based on use case
- 1c Explain the difference between human vs. system authentication methods
- 1d Define the purpose of identities and groups
- 1e Authenticate to Vault using the API, CLI, and UI
- 1f Configure authentication methods using the API, CLI, and UI
- 2a Explain the value of Vault policies
- 2b Describe Vault policy syntax: path
- 2c Describe Vault policy syntax: capabilities
- 2d Choose a Vault policy based on requirements
- 2e Configure Vault policies using the UI and CLI
- 3a Choose between service and batch tokens based on use case
- 3b Describe root token uses and lifecycle
- 3c Explain the purpose of token accessors
- 3d Explain the impact of time-to-live
- 3e Explain orphaned tokens
- 3f Describe how to create tokens based on need
- 4a Explain the purpose of a lease ID
- 4b Describe how to renew leases
- 4c Describe how to revoke leases
- 5a Choose a secrets engine based on use case
- 5b Compare and contrast dynamic secrets vs. static secrets, and know their use cases
- 5c Describe the uses of transit secrets engine
- 5d Describe the purpose of secrets engines
- 5e Describe the use of response wrapping
- 5f Explain the value of short-lived, dynamically generated secrets
- 5g Enable secrets engines using the CLI, API, and UI
- 5h Access Vault secrets using the CLI, API, and UI
- 6a Encrypt and decrypt secrets
- 6b Rotate the encryption key
- 7a Describe how Vault encrypts data
- 7b Explain how to seal and unseal Vault
- 7c Configure environment variables
- 8a Explain cluster strategy for self-managed and HashiCorp-managed Vault clusters
- 8b Explain the uses of storage backends
- 8c Explain the uses of Shamir secret sharing and unsealing
- 8d Explain the uses of disaster recovery and performance replication
- 8e Differentiate between self-managed and HashiCorp-managed Vault clusters
- 9a Describe the Vault Agent
- 9b Describe the Vault Secrets Operator
Renew Your Certification
Understand your recertification options. Start by finding the scenario that applies to you and then evaluate your options. Know which exam version you passed by the 3-digit code on your credentials (badge and certificate).
Scenario 1: You hold an unexpired Vault Associate certification from the 003 version of the exam
Option 1: Pass the Vault Operations Advanced exam
- Extend your Associate credentials' expiration date
- Earn a new advanced-level badge and certificate
Option 2: Pass the 003 version of the Vault Associate exam starting 6 months before expiration
- Extend your Associate credentials' expiration date
Scenario 2: You hold an unexpired Vault Associate certification from the 002 version of the exam
Option 1: Pass the Vault Operations Advanced exam
- Extend your Associate credentials' expiration date
- Earn a new advanced-level badge and certificate
Option 2: Pass the 003 version of the Vault Associate exam starting 6 months before expiration
- Receive a new, separate set of credentials with a new expiration date
- Your original credentials' expiration date is not updated
Scenario 3: You hold any expired Vault Associate certification
There is only one option for recertifying if your certification has already expired.
Pass the current version of the Vault Associate exam at any time
- Receive a new, separate set of credentials with a new expiration date
- Your expired credentials' expiration date is not updated
Learn more about recertification in our Knowledge base.
Visit our knowledge base
Review and follow the rules and requirements for taking exams before you register for an exam appointment. You are responsible for following the identification, system, and physical space requirements.
