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GCDL Practice Question: A security team is reviewing a developer's…

This GCDL practice question tests your understanding of a security team is reviewing a developer's…. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 is reviewing a developer's request to be granted the 'Owner' role on a production Google Cloud project 'just in case they need broad access.' The security team rejects this and instead grants a more specific role. Which security principle does the security team's decision enforce?

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A security team is reviewing a developer's request to be granted the 'Owner' role on a production Google Cloud project 'just in case they need broad access.' The security team rejects this and instead grants a more specific role. Which security principle does the security team's decision enforce?

Answer choices

Why each option matters

Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.

A

Distractor review

Defense in depth, by ensuring multiple security layers protect the project

Defense in depth is a layered security strategy. While related to overall security posture, the specific decision to reject an overly broad role in favor of minimum necessary permissions is the Principle of Least Privilege.

B

Distractor review

Separation of duties, by ensuring no single person has too many responsibilities

Separation of duties requires that different people perform conflicting tasks (e.g., one person initiates a transaction, another approves it). The scenario is about permission scope (breadth), not task separation.

C

Best answer

Principle of least privilege, by granting only the minimum permissions necessary for the developer's specific role and tasks

The Principle of Least Privilege is the core concept here. Owner role is far broader than necessary. By granting a specific role matching actual requirements, the security team limits the blast radius if the developer's account is compromised and reduces the risk of accidental destructive actions.

D

Distractor review

Zero trust networking, by treating the developer's device as untrusted

Zero trust is about network and device trust — never trust, always verify regardless of location. The scenario is about IAM permission scoping, not network trust model.

Common exam trap

Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization

Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.

Technical deep dive

How to think about this question

This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.

KKey Concepts to Remember

  • Authentication checks who the user is.
  • Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
  • Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
  • AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.

TExam Day Tips

  • Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
  • Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
  • Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.

Key takeaway

Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this GCDL question test?

Authentication checks who the user is.

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Principle of least privilege, by granting only the minimum permissions necessary for the developer's specific role and tasks — The Principle of Least Privilege states that users and services should be granted only the minimum permissions necessary to perform their specific job functions — no more. Granting Owner (which includes all permissions on all resources in the project) 'just in case' violates this principle. The security team correctly rejected the broad role in favor of a more targeted one matching actual needs.

What should I do if I get this GCDL question wrong?

Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related GCDL questions on access control and AAA configuration.

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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.