Google PCA Designing for Security and Compliance Practice Question
A developer needs to securely store a database password that will be used by a Compute Engine instance. The password must be rotated automatically every 30 days. Which service should they use?
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
✓
Secret Manager
Secret Manager is designed for storing secrets like API keys and passwords, and it supports automatic rotation schedules. Cloud KMS is for encryption keys, not generic secrets. Cloud Storage can store encrypted data but does not natively support rotation. Environment variables are insecure and not managed.
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 KMS
Why it's wrong here
Cloud KMS manages encryption keys, not application secrets like database passwords.
- ✗
Cloud Storage with encryption
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Storage can store encrypted files but does not have built-in rotation capabilities.
- ✗
Environment variables
Why it's wrong here
Environment variables are not secure and cannot be automatically rotated.
- ✓
Secret Manager
Why this is correct
Secret Manager stores secrets and supports automatic rotation every 30 days.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to Google Cloud Platform
Key term
KMS
KMS (Key Management Service) is a Microsoft technology that automates volume licensing activation for Windows and Office products within an organization's network.
Key term
Service
A service is a software component or system that performs a specific function and is available to be used by other programs or users over a network.
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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.