If a masking policy references an external function, what is the effect on sharing the table or view?

• A. The table or view can be shared without restrictions
• B. The table or view cannot be shared
• C. External functions are automatically invoked during sharing
• D. Sharing is unaffected by masking policies referencing external functions

Answer: (B)

Masking policies that reference an external function depend on behavior outside Snowflake during evaluation. When sharing data across accounts, Snowflake must ensure the recipient can evaluate the policy without relying on resources not present in the share. External functions aren’t guaranteed to exist or be accessible in the consumer’s environment, so the policy cannot be enforced reliably in a shared context. To prevent potential policy evaluation issues or data exposure, Snowflake does not allow sharing of a table or view whose masking policy references an external function. If sharing is required, remove the external-function reference from the masking policy or use a masking approach that does not rely on external functions.