Salesforce Sharing and Visibility Certification Practice Exam

Which permissions bypass the Field Level Security protections for a secret stored in a custom field?

1. Modify All Data

2. View All Data (Profile)

3. Customize Application

4. Deploy Apex

The correct answer is: Modify All Data

The permission that bypasses Field Level Security protections for a secret stored in a custom field is Modify All Data. This permission provides the user with unrestricted access to all data within the Salesforce organization, regardless of the restrictions set by field-level security. Field Level Security is designed to restrict access to specific fields on an object based on a user's profile. This means that even if a user can see a record, they may not have access to certain fields within that record unless they are granted the appropriate access through their profile settings. However, when a user has the Modify All Data permission, they are essentially granted a higher level of access that overrides these restrictions. They can view and manipulate all records and fields, including those that are designated as secret or restricted by Field Level Security. While other permissions listed might provide various levels of data access, they do not negate the protections set by Field Level Security. For example, View All Data would allow users to view all records but not bypass field-level restrictions, while Customize Application and Deploy Apex provide administrative and development capabilities without granting access to sensitive data that is protected. Thus, the answer highlighting Modify All Data accurately reflects the open-ended access that users gain, effectively allowing them to bypass the security confinements established for specific fields.