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VAULT-ASSOCIATE-002 · Question #24

A web application uses Vault's transit secrets engine to encrypt data in-transit. If an attacker intercepts the data in transit, which of the following statements are true? (Choose two.)

The correct answer is A. You can rotate the encryption key so that the attacker won't be able to decrypt the data C. The Vault administrator would need to seal the Vault server immediately. If data encrypted by Vault's Transit secrets engine is intercepted, rotating the encryption key and sealing Vault are immediate security measures.

Submitted by ashley.k· Apr 18, 2026Secure Vault

Question

A web application uses Vault's transit secrets engine to encrypt data in-transit. If an attacker intercepts the data in transit, which of the following statements are true? (Choose two.)

Options

  • AYou can rotate the encryption key so that the attacker won't be able to decrypt the data
  • BThe keys can be rotated and min_decryption_version moved forward to ensure this data
  • CThe Vault administrator would need to seal the Vault server immediately
  • DEven if the attacker was able to access the raw data, they would only have encrypted bits (TLS in

How the community answered

(44 responses)
  • A
    73% (32)
  • B
    9% (4)
  • D
    18% (8)

Why each option

If data encrypted by Vault's Transit secrets engine is intercepted, rotating the encryption key and sealing Vault are immediate security measures.

AYou can rotate the encryption key so that the attacker won't be able to decrypt the dataCorrect

The Transit secrets engine uses encryption keys managed by Vault. If an attacker intercepts encrypted data, rotating the encryption key *after* the interception event prevents the attacker from decrypting the data with the new key, assuming they did not also compromise Vault itself.

BThe keys can be rotated and min_decryption_version moved forward to ensure this data

While keys can be rotated and `min_decryption_version` moved forward, this is primarily for managing key compromise for *future* decryption, not directly preventing decryption of *already intercepted* data with the old key by an attacker who has the ciphertext.

CThe Vault administrator would need to seal the Vault server immediatelyCorrect

Sealing the Vault server immediately prevents any further access to secrets and capabilities, including the Transit secrets engine's encryption keys, thus mitigating further compromise if the attacker is believed to have gained access to Vault itself or to prevent further unauthorized operations.

DEven if the attacker was able to access the raw data, they would only have encrypted bits (TLS in

The Transit secrets engine encrypts data using Vault's managed keys, while TLS encrypts data in transit between the client and Vault. This option incorrectly conflates Transit encryption with TLS and misrepresents the protection provided by the Transit secrets engine.

Concept tested: Vault Transit engine key rotation, incident response, data security

Source: https://developer.hashicorp.com/vault/docs/secrets/transit

Topics

#Vault Transit Secrets Engine#Key Rotation#Vault Security Operations#Incident Response

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