- A
Configure firewall rules to only allow traffic from the on-premises CIDR to the VPC.
Why wrong: Firewall rules only control network traffic, but do not prevent data exfiltration via API calls that appear to come from allowed IPs.
- B
Use Cloud VPN and Private Google Access to allow on-premises access without public IPs.
Why wrong: Private Google Access enables on-premises access, but does not prevent data from being accessed via the internet from other sources.
- C
Configure a VPC Service Controls perimeter and create an access level that includes the on-premises CIDR range.
VPC Service Controls with an access level effectively restricts API access to the allowed CIDR, preventing data exfiltration via the internet.
- D
Use Cloud IAP (Identity-Aware Proxy) to restrict access based on identity and context.
Why wrong: IAP provides identity-based access, but does not restrict network-level access or prevent egress to the internet.
Google PCA Design for security and compliance Practice Question
This PCA practice question tests your understanding of design for security and compliance. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 is designing a VPC Service Controls perimeter to protect data stored in Google Cloud. They need to allow access from their on-premises network via a Cloud VPN tunnel while blocking all internet-based access. What is the most secure and manageable approach?
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
Configure a VPC Service Controls perimeter and create an access level that includes the on-premises CIDR range.
Option C is correct because VPC Service Controls (VPC SC) is the only Google Cloud-native mechanism that can create a security perimeter around managed services (like Cloud Storage, BigQuery) and restrict access based on an access level that includes the on-premises CIDR range. This ensures that only traffic originating from the on-premises network (via the Cloud VPN tunnel) is allowed, while all internet-based access is blocked, even if the request uses valid credentials. Firewall rules alone cannot restrict access to Google-managed APIs, and Private Google Access does not enforce a perimeter around services.
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.
- ✗
Configure firewall rules to only allow traffic from the on-premises CIDR to the VPC.
- ✗
Use Cloud VPN and Private Google Access to allow on-premises access without public IPs.
Why it's wrong here
Private Google Access enables on-premises access, but does not prevent data from being accessed via the internet from other sources.
- ✓
Configure a VPC Service Controls perimeter and create an access level that includes the on-premises CIDR range.
Why this is correct
VPC Service Controls with an access level effectively restricts API access to the allowed CIDR, preventing data exfiltration via the internet.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use Cloud IAP (Identity-Aware Proxy) to restrict access based on identity and context.
Why it's wrong here
IAP provides identity-based access, but does not restrict network-level access or prevent egress to the internet.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse network-level controls (firewall rules, Private Google Access) with service-level perimeter controls, mistakenly believing that blocking traffic at the VPC level is sufficient to protect Google-managed APIs that are accessed via external endpoints.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
VPC Service Controls uses access levels (defined by IP address ranges, device attributes, or MFA status) to create a perimeter around Google Cloud managed services. When a request originates from outside the allowed access level, the service returns a 403 error even if the IAM permissions are valid, effectively blocking all internet-based traffic. Under the hood, VPC SC intercepts requests at the Google Front End (GFE) and enforces the perimeter policy before the request reaches the service API, making it more secure than network-level controls.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
Visual reference
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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Design for security and compliance — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCA question test?
Design for security and compliance — This question tests Design for security and compliance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure a VPC Service Controls perimeter and create an access level that includes the on-premises CIDR range. — Option C is correct because VPC Service Controls (VPC SC) is the only Google Cloud-native mechanism that can create a security perimeter around managed services (like Cloud Storage, BigQuery) and restrict access based on an access level that includes the on-premises CIDR range. This ensures that only traffic originating from the on-premises network (via the Cloud VPN tunnel) is allowed, while all internet-based access is blocked, even if the request uses valid credentials. Firewall rules alone cannot restrict access to Google-managed APIs, and Private Google Access does not enforce a perimeter around services.
What should I do if I get this PCA 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: Jul 4, 2026
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