- A
VPN — employees connect to the corporate VPN which provides access to all apps.
Why wrong: VPN provides network access, not authentication federation. VPN doesn't enable single sign-on or eliminate app-specific passwords.
- B
Single Sign-On (SSO) using SAML 2.0 or OIDC with Google Workspace as the Identity Provider.
Google Workspace as IdP federates identity to third-party apps via SAML 2.0 or OIDC. Employees authenticate once with their Google credentials and access all federated apps without separate passwords.
- C
Cloud Armor — blocks unauthorized access attempts to applications.
Why wrong: Cloud Armor is a security service for blocking malicious traffic. SSO and identity federation are handled by Google Workspace and authentication protocols, not Cloud Armor.
- D
Shared service account — all employees use the same credential.
Why wrong: Shared credentials eliminate individual accountability and auditability. SSO provides each user with their own authenticated session through their personal Google identity.
Single Sign-On (SSO) Using Google Workspace as Identity Provider
This GCDL practice question tests your understanding of trust and security with google cloud. 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 company uses Google Workspace for identity. They want employees to use their Google Workspace credentials to access third-party applications (Salesforce, Slack, etc.) without separate passwords for each app. Which technology enables this?
Quick Answer
The correct answer is Single Sign-On (SSO) using SAML 2.0 or OIDC with Google Workspace as the Identity Provider. This technology enables employees to use their Google Workspace credentials to access third-party apps like Salesforce and Slack without separate passwords because Google Workspace acts as the central Identity Provider (IdP), issuing authentication tokens that the third-party applications trust. On the Google Cloud Digital Leader exam, this scenario tests your understanding of federated identity models and how SSO eliminates password fatigue by leveraging open standards like SAML for security assertions or OIDC for ID tokens. A common trap is confusing SSO with simple password synchronization—remember, SSO uses token-based trust, not shared credentials. For a memory tip, think “One Google login, many app doors” to recall that the IdP handles all subsequent access after the initial authentication.
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
Single Sign-On (SSO) using SAML 2.0 or OIDC with Google Workspace as the Identity Provider.
Option B is correct because Single Sign-On (SSO) using SAML 2.0 or OIDC allows Google Workspace to act as the Identity Provider (IdP), issuing authentication tokens that third-party applications (like Salesforce and Slack) trust. This eliminates the need for separate passwords, as users authenticate once with Google Workspace and the IdP handles subsequent access via security assertions or ID tokens.
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.
- ✗
VPN — employees connect to the corporate VPN which provides access to all apps.
Why it's wrong here
VPN provides network access, not authentication federation. VPN doesn't enable single sign-on or eliminate app-specific passwords.
- ✓
Single Sign-On (SSO) using SAML 2.0 or OIDC with Google Workspace as the Identity Provider.
Why this is correct
Google Workspace as IdP federates identity to third-party apps via SAML 2.0 or OIDC. Employees authenticate once with their Google credentials and access all federated apps without separate passwords.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Cloud Armor — blocks unauthorized access attempts to applications.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Armor is a security service for blocking malicious traffic. SSO and identity federation are handled by Google Workspace and authentication protocols, not Cloud Armor.
- ✗
Shared service account — all employees use the same credential.
Why it's wrong here
Shared credentials eliminate individual accountability and auditability. SSO provides each user with their own authenticated session through their personal Google identity.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the distinction between network-level access (VPN) and identity-level federation (SSO), so candidates mistakenly choose VPN because they think it 'provides access to all apps' without realizing it does not solve the separate-password problem.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SAML 2.0 uses XML-based assertions signed with the IdP's private key, which the service provider validates using the IdP's public certificate; OIDC (built on OAuth 2.0) uses JSON Web Tokens (JWTs) containing claims about the user. A subtle behavior: SAML relies on browser redirects for the assertion flow, while OIDC can work with native mobile apps via authorization codes and PKCE, making OIDC more flexible for modern applications. In a real-world scenario, if the IdP's signing certificate expires, all SSO logins will fail until the certificate is rotated across all service 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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Trust and security with Google Cloud — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this GCDL question test?
Trust and security with Google Cloud — This question tests Trust and security with Google Cloud — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Single Sign-On (SSO) using SAML 2.0 or OIDC with Google Workspace as the Identity Provider. — Option B is correct because Single Sign-On (SSO) using SAML 2.0 or OIDC allows Google Workspace to act as the Identity Provider (IdP), issuing authentication tokens that third-party applications (like Salesforce and Slack) trust. This eliminates the need for separate passwords, as users authenticate once with Google Workspace and the IdP handles subsequent access via security assertions or ID tokens.
What should I do if I get this GCDL 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.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
This GCDL 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 GCDL exam.
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