- A
The backend service is missing the IAP session cookie validation.
Why wrong: IAP manages session cookies at the proxy; backend does not need to validate them.
- B
The users are accessing the application via different browsers.
Why wrong: IAP sessions are typically per-browser, but this is not a common cause of multiple prompts within the same session.
- C
The backend service does not support HTTPS.
Why wrong: IAP requires HTTPS, but this would cause connection errors, not repeated sign-ins.
- D
The IAP session timeout is set too low.
IAP session timeout determines how long the authentication session lasts; a short timeout causes frequent prompts.
Question 309 of 1,000
hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
Google ACE Practice Question: Configuring Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP) for a web…
This ACE practice question tests your understanding of ace exam topics. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
You are configuring Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP) for a web application running on Compute Engine. Users authenticate through IAP and are granted access based on their email addresses. However, some users report that they are prompted to sign in multiple times during the same session. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"most likely"Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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
✓
The IAP session timeout is set too low.
Option D is correct because the IAP session timeout determines how long a user's authenticated session remains valid before requiring re-authentication. If this timeout is set too low, users will be prompted to sign in multiple times during a single session, even if they are actively using the application. The default IAP session timeout is 1 hour, but it can be configured up to 24 hours; a low value directly causes repeated login prompts.
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.
- ✗
The backend service is missing the IAP session cookie validation.
Why it's wrong here
IAP manages session cookies at the proxy; backend does not need to validate them.
- ✗
The users are accessing the application via different browsers.
Why it's wrong here
IAP sessions are typically per-browser, but this is not a common cause of multiple prompts within the same session.
- ✗
The backend service does not support HTTPS.
Why it's wrong here
IAP requires HTTPS, but this would cause connection errors, not repeated sign-ins.
- ✓
The IAP session timeout is set too low.
Why this is correct
IAP session timeout determines how long the authentication session lasts; a short timeout causes frequent prompts.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse session timeout with idle timeout or assume the issue is related to backend cookie handling, but Google specifically tests the understanding that IAP's configurable session TTL directly controls re-authentication frequency.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
IAP uses a session cookie (`GCP_IAP_...`) that is set after successful authentication via Google's OAuth 2.0 flow. The session timeout is controlled by the `session_ttl` setting in the IAP configuration, which defaults to 3600 seconds (1 hour). When the timeout expires, IAP invalidates the session cookie and forces the user to re-authenticate, even if the user is still actively using the application; this is a common misconfiguration in production environments where long-running workflows require extended sessions.
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.
Related practice questions
Related ACE practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Configuring Access and Security practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to Configuring Access and Security.
Planning and Configuring a Cloud Solution practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to Planning and Configuring a Cloud Solution.
Ensuring Successful Operation of a Cloud Solution practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to Ensuring Successful Operation of a Cloud Solution.
Deploying and Implementing a Cloud Solution practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to Deploying and Implementing a Cloud Solution.
Setting Up a Cloud Solution Environment practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to Setting Up a Cloud Solution Environment.
ACE fundamentals practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to ACE fundamentals.
ACE scenario practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to ACE scenario.
ACE troubleshooting practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to ACE troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free ACE practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
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: The IAP session timeout is set too low. — Option D is correct because the IAP session timeout determines how long a user's authenticated session remains valid before requiring re-authentication. If this timeout is set too low, users will be prompted to sign in multiple times during a single session, even if they are actively using the application. The default IAP session timeout is 1 hour, but it can be configured up to 24 hours; a low value directly causes repeated login prompts.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Keep practising
More ACE practice questions
- A team's Cloud Build pipeline must: (1) run unit tests, (2) build a Docker image only if tests pass, (3) push the image…
- A team needs a database backup job to run every day at 2 AM UTC. The job calls an HTTP endpoint to trigger the backup. T…
- A team wants to receive an email alert when the average CPU utilization of VMs in a managed instance group exceeds 80% f…
- A Go service is consuming significantly more CPU than expected. The team suspects an inefficient function but doesn't kn…
- A network team is creating a new VPC and must decide between auto mode and custom mode. Why would they choose custom mod…
- A company organizes its GCP projects by business unit — Finance, Engineering, and Sales. Which resource is best suited t…
Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.