Google PCA Design for security and compliance Practice Question
A company is migrating sensitive customer data to Google Cloud. They need to ensure data is encrypted at rest and in transit. Which Google Cloud service provides a centralized way to manage encryption keys used by Google Cloud services?
⚠ Common exam trap
Google Cloud often tests the distinction between Cloud KMS as the centralized key management service and Cloud HSM as a hardware-backed option within Cloud KMS, leading candidates to choose Cloud HSM when the question asks for the centralized service.
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
✓
Cloud Key Management Service (Cloud KMS)
Cloud KMS is the correct choice because it provides a centralized, managed service for creating, rotating, and destroying encryption keys used by Google Cloud services. It integrates directly with services like Cloud Storage, BigQuery, and Compute Engine to enforce encryption at rest, and it supports customer-managed encryption keys (CMEK) for granular control. For data in transit, Cloud KMS can be used to manage keys for TLS or application-level encryption, though Google Cloud automatically encrypts all network traffic by default.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Cloud HSM
Why it's wrong here
Cloud HSM provides hardware-backed key storage and cryptographic operations, but it is not the central management layer for keys used across Google Cloud services. It is tempting because it does hold keys securely, and would be correct when regulatory rules demand FIPS 140-2 Level 3 hardware protection for specific keys.
- ✗
Cloud External Key Manager (Cloud EKM)
Why it's wrong here
Cloud EKM keeps key material outside Google's infrastructure in an external manager, so it does not centrally manage keys for Google Cloud services. It is tempting because it strengthens control over key custody, and would be correct when policy requires keys to remain under a third-party provider's authority.
- ✓
Cloud Key Management Service (Cloud KMS)
Why this is correct
Cloud KMS centralises creation, rotation and access control of customer-managed encryption keys, and integrates with Google Cloud services for envelope encryption at rest and in transit. This satisfies the requirement for one centralised key management service.
- ✗
Secret Manager
Why it's wrong here
Secret Manager stores application secrets such as API keys and passwords, not the customer-managed encryption keys (CMEK) that Google Cloud services use for at-rest encryption. It is tempting because it centralises sensitive credential storage, and it would be correct for holding database passwords or tokens rather than wrapping keys.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Google Cloud Compute Options Overview
Key term
CAN
A CAN (Controller Area Network) is a robust vehicle bus standard designed to allow microcontrollers and devices to communicate with each other without a host computer.
Key term
Compute Engine
Compute Engine is Google Cloud's Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) offering that lets you create and run virtual machines on Google's infrastructure.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This PCA 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 PCA exam.