- A
Admin Activity audit logs
Why wrong: Admin logs record configuration changes, not data access.
- B
Data Access audit logs
Data Access logs capture read and write operations on data.
- C
System Event audit logs
Why wrong: System Event logs are for GCP system actions.
- D
Access Transparency logs
Why wrong: Access Transparency logs are for Google operations, not user access.
Question 761 of 1,000
Google PCA Design for security and compliance Practice Question
This PCA practice question tests your understanding of design for security and compliance. 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.
A company wants to ensure that all access to their Cloud Storage bucket is logged for compliance purposes. Which type of audit log should they enable?
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
✓
Data Access audit logs
Data Access audit logs (Option B) are required to log every API call that reads, writes, or deletes data in a Cloud Storage bucket, such as object GETs and PUTs. Admin Activity logs only record configuration changes, not data access, so they would not capture the read/write operations needed for compliance logging.
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.
- ✗
Admin Activity audit logs
Why it's wrong here
Admin logs record configuration changes, not data access.
- ✓
Data Access audit logs
Why this is correct
Data Access logs capture read and write operations on data.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
System Event audit logs
Why it's wrong here
System Event logs are for GCP system actions.
- ✗
Access Transparency logs
Why it's wrong here
Access Transparency logs are for Google operations, not user access.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Candidates often confuse Admin Activity logs with Data Access logs, thinking that Admin Activity logs cover data access operations, but they only record configuration changes; Data Access logs are needed for actual data access auditing.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Data Access audit logs are enabled at the bucket level via IAM conditions or organization policies, and they log every API operation that reads or modifies object data, including the requester identity, source IP, and the exact object path. Under the hood, these logs are generated by Cloud Audit Logs and are subject to a 30-day retention by default, but can be exported to BigQuery or Cloud Storage for long-term compliance. A subtle behavior is that enabling Data Access audit logs for a bucket can incur additional logging costs and may generate a high volume of log entries for high-traffic buckets.
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.
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: Data Access audit logs — Data Access audit logs (Option B) are required to log every API call that reads, writes, or deletes data in a Cloud Storage bucket, such as object GETs and PUTs. Admin Activity logs only record configuration changes, not data access, so they would not capture the read/write operations needed for compliance logging.
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.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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