HashiCorpHashiCorp
VAULT-ASSOCIATE-002 · Question #12
VAULT-ASSOCIATE-002 Question #12: Real Exam Question with Answer & Explanation
The correct answer is D: The threshold number of key shares. To unseal a Vault instance, the specific number of key shares known as the "threshold" is required, which is configured during initialization.
Submitted by krish.m· Apr 18, 2026Understand Vault Concepts
Question
How many Shamir's key shares are required to unseal a Vault instance?
Options
- AAll key shares
- BA quorum of key shares
- COne or more keys
- DThe threshold number of key shares
Explanation
To unseal a Vault instance, the specific number of key shares known as the "threshold" is required, which is configured during initialization.
Common mistakes.
- A. Requiring all key shares would make the system too brittle, as the loss of a single share would prevent unsealing.
- B. While a quorum generally implies a minimum number, in Shamir's Secret Sharing context for Vault, the specific term is 'threshold' and refers to the minimum number of shares required.
- C. One or more keys is insufficient; a specific minimum number, the threshold, is necessary to reconstruct the master key.
Concept tested. Vault unsealing, Shamir's Secret Sharing threshold
Reference. https://developer.hashicorp.com/vault/docs/concepts/seal#shamirs-secret-sharing
Topics
#Shamir's Secret Sharing#Unsealing#Key shares#Threshold
Community Discussion
No community discussion yet for this question.