- A
Create a policy with an evaluation mode to allow all images, but use a whitelist of approved registries.
Why wrong: Allowing all images defeats the purpose; also whitelist is not a Binary Authorization feature.
- B
Use Cloud Run instead, which has built-in image verification.
Why wrong: Cloud Run does not provide the same level of Binary Authorization control.
- C
Create a policy with an evaluation mode to require all images to be signed, and configure a Cloud Build attestor.
Why wrong: This does not provide a break-glass exception.
- D
Create a policy with a default deny rule, and add a custom rule to allow images from the curated registry.
Default deny ensures only signed images are allowed, except those from the curated registry break-glass.
Question 282 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 financial institution deploys a containerized application on GKE with Binary Authorization enabled. They want to ensure that only images signed by their internal CI/CD pipeline are deployed, and they also need to allow a break-glass procedure using a specific image from a curated registry. How should they configure Binary Authorization?
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
✓
Create a policy with a default deny rule, and add a custom rule to allow images from the curated registry.
Option D is correct because Binary Authorization policies are deny-by-default, so you must create a custom rule to allow specific images (e.g., from a curated registry) while keeping the default deny rule in place. This satisfies both the requirement to enforce signed images from the CI/CD pipeline and the break-glass procedure using a trusted registry image.
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.
- ✗
Create a policy with an evaluation mode to allow all images, but use a whitelist of approved registries.
Why it's wrong here
Allowing all images defeats the purpose; also whitelist is not a Binary Authorization feature.
- ✗
Use Cloud Run instead, which has built-in image verification.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Run does not provide the same level of Binary Authorization control.
- ✗
Create a policy with an evaluation mode to require all images to be signed, and configure a Cloud Build attestor.
Why it's wrong here
This does not provide a break-glass exception.
- ✓
Create a policy with a default deny rule, and add a custom rule to allow images from the curated registry.
Why this is correct
Default deny ensures only signed images are allowed, except those from the curated registry break-glass.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A common misconception tested in Google Professional Cloud Architect exams is that you can use a whitelist of registries in evaluation mode (Option A) or that all images must be signed (Option C), but the correct approach is to combine a default deny rule with a custom allow rule for the break-glass registry.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Binary Authorization uses a policy with a default deny rule, and you can add custom rules that match specific image paths (e.g., gcr.io/curated-registry/*) to allow them without attestation. The break-glass image must be hosted in a registry that is part of the allowlist rule, and the CI/CD pipeline images must be signed using a Cloud KMS key and verified by an attestor. Under the hood, Binary Authorization evaluates admission webhooks on GKE nodes, checking attestations against the policy before allowing a pod to run.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
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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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: Create a policy with a default deny rule, and add a custom rule to allow images from the curated registry. — Option D is correct because Binary Authorization policies are deny-by-default, so you must create a custom rule to allow specific images (e.g., from a curated registry) while keeping the default deny rule in place. This satisfies both the requirement to enforce signed images from the CI/CD pipeline and the break-glass procedure using a trusted registry image.
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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