Column-level security in Snowflake enhances data protection by restricting access and applying masking policies to sensitive data at the column level.
* Limiting Access Based on User Privileges:
* Column-level security allows administrators to define which users or roles have access to specific columns within a table.
* This ensures that sensitive data is only accessible to authorized personnel, thereby reducing the risk of data breaches.
* Application of Masking Policies:
* Masking policies can be applied to columns to obfuscate sensitive data.
* For example, credit card numbers can be masked to show only the last four digits, protecting the
* full number from being exposed.
References:
* Snowflake Documentation: Column-Level Security
* Snowflake Documentation: Dynamic Data Masking

The Snowflake SCIM (System for Cross-domain Identity Management) API is used for automated user and role management. It enables integration with identity providers (IdPs) for the provisioning and deprovisioning of user accounts and roles in Snowflake. This helps in managing access control and permissions systematically and aligns with identity governance practices.
References:
* Snowflake Documentation: Managing Users and Roles with SCIM API

To find information about query activity from 90 days ago, a Snowflake user should use the account_usage.query_history_archive view. This view is designed to provide access to historical query data beyond the default 14-day retention period found in the standard query_history view. It allows users to analyze and audit past query activities for up to 365 days after the date of execution, which includes the
90-day period mentioned.
References:
* [COF-C02] SnowPro Core Certification Exam Study Guide
* Snowflake Documentation on Account Usage Schema1

Explanation
According to the Snowflake documentation , a directory table stores a catalog of staged files in cloud storage and can be queried to retrieve the Snowflake-hosted file URL to each file in the stage. A file URL has the following format:
https://<account_identifier>/api/files/<db_name>.<schema_name>.<stage_name>/<relative_path> Based on this information, I think the query that contains a Snowflake hosted file URL in a directory table for a stage named bronzestage is B. select * from directory(@bronzestage);

OPERATE. In Snowflake, to pause or resume a pipe, the OPERATE privilege is required on the pipe object.
The OPERATE privilege allows users to perform operational tasks on specific objects such as pipes, tasks, and streams. Specifically, for a pipe, the OPERATE privilege enables the user to execute the ALTER PIPE
... SET PIPE_EXECUTION_PAUSED=TRUE or ALTER PIPE ... SET
PIPE_EXECUTION_PAUSED=FALSE commands, which are used to pause or resume the pipe, respectively.
Here's a step-by-step explanation and reference:
* Understanding Pipe Operations: Pipes in Snowflake are used for continuous data loading from staging areas into Snowflake tables. Managing pipes involves operations such as creating, monitoring, pausing, and resuming.
* Privileges for Pipe Operations: The OPERATE privilege is essential for pausing and resuming pipes.
This privilege is more specific than general object access privileges like SELECT or USAGE and is tailored for operational control.
* Granting the OPERATE Privilege: To grant the OPERATE privilege on a pipe, an administrator or a user with the necessary grants can execute the SQL command:
GRANT OPERATE ON PIPE <pipe_name> TO ROLE <role_name>;
* Pausing and Resuming Pipes: Once the OPERATE privilege is granted, the user or role can pause the pipe using:
ALTER PIPE <pipe_name> SET PIPE_EXECUTION_PAUSED=TRUE;
To resume the pipe, they use:
ALTER PIPE <pipe_name> SET PIPE_EXECUTION_PAUSED=FALSE;
Reference: For more information on pipe operations and privileges, you can refer to Snowflake's official documentation on pipes and security access control:
https://docs.snowflake.com/en/sql-reference/sql/grant-privilege.html and
https://docs.snowflake.com/en/user-guide/data-pipelines-intro.html#managing-pipes