- A
Rotate the service account key to generate a new one, keeping the old key active briefly for transition
Why wrong: The old key remains active during transition and is still compromised — it must be immediately deleted, not kept active.
- B
Delete the leaked key immediately, audit Cloud Audit Logs for unauthorized activity using the key, then create a new key or switch to keyless authentication
Immediate key deletion removes the attacker's access. Audit logs reveal if the key was used maliciously. Creating a replacement key (or preferably switching to Workload Identity) restores the service.
- C
Change the service account's display name and email to invalidate the leaked key
Why wrong: Service account names and emails are metadata — changing them does not invalidate existing keys.
- D
Remove all IAM roles from the service account to deny all actions until the investigation completes
Why wrong: Removing IAM roles may help but the key still exists and could be re-used if roles are re-added. The key itself must be deleted first.
Google ACE Practice Question: A security team discovers that a service account…
This ACE practice question tests your understanding of ace exam topics. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A security team discovers that a service account key was accidentally committed to a public GitHub repository 48 hours ago. What should be the immediate steps to remediate this incident?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Delete the leaked key immediately, audit Cloud Audit Logs for unauthorized activity using the key, then create a new key or switch to keyless authentication
Option B is correct because the immediate priority is to revoke the compromised key's access by deleting it, which invalidates it instantly. Auditing Cloud Audit Logs is essential to detect any unauthorized usage that occurred during the 48-hour exposure window. Finally, creating a new key or switching to keyless authentication (e.g., workload identity federation) restores secure access without relying on long-lived static credentials.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Rotate the service account key to generate a new one, keeping the old key active briefly for transition
Why it's wrong here
The old key remains active during transition and is still compromised — it must be immediately deleted, not kept active.
- ✓
Delete the leaked key immediately, audit Cloud Audit Logs for unauthorized activity using the key, then create a new key or switch to keyless authentication
Why this is correct
Immediate key deletion removes the attacker's access. Audit logs reveal if the key was used maliciously. Creating a replacement key (or preferably switching to Workload Identity) restores the service.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Change the service account's display name and email to invalidate the leaked key
Why it's wrong here
Service account names and emails are metadata — changing them does not invalidate existing keys.
- ✗
Remove all IAM roles from the service account to deny all actions until the investigation completes
Why it's wrong here
Removing IAM roles may help but the key still exists and could be re-used if roles are re-added. The key itself must be deleted first.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that rotating a key (generating a new one while keeping the old active) is sufficient, but the trap is that the old key remains valid and must be explicitly deleted to fully remediate a public leak.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Service account keys are RSA private keys used to sign JSON Web Tokens (JWTs) for OAuth 2.0 authentication. Deleting the key immediately revokes its ability to generate tokens, as Google Cloud's token endpoint checks key validity against the service account's key metadata. Cloud Audit Logs record all authentication events, including the `google.oauth2.generateAccessToken` method, allowing forensic analysis of the exposure window. Keyless authentication, such as workload identity federation, eliminates the need for static keys by using short-lived tokens from external identity providers.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this ACE question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Delete the leaked key immediately, audit Cloud Audit Logs for unauthorized activity using the key, then create a new key or switch to keyless authentication — Option B is correct because the immediate priority is to revoke the compromised key's access by deleting it, which invalidates it instantly. Auditing Cloud Audit Logs is essential to detect any unauthorized usage that occurred during the 48-hour exposure window. Finally, creating a new key or switching to keyless authentication (e.g., workload identity federation) restores secure access without relying on long-lived static credentials.
What should I do if I get this ACE question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
This ACE practice question is part of Courseiva's free Google Cloud certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the ACE exam.
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