- A
Create a perimeter that includes the project, and set the 'allowed external access' flag to true.
Why wrong: Allowing all external access defeats the purpose of the perimeter.
- B
Create a perimeter and enable the 'exfiltration exception' for BigQuery.
Why wrong: There is no 'exfiltration exception' flag; access is controlled via access levels.
- C
Create a perimeter that includes only Compute Engine instances, and use a separate perimeter for BigQuery.
Why wrong: Perimeters can include projects with BigQuery datasets directly.
- D
Create a perimeter that includes the project, and use an access level from Access Context Manager to grant access to authorized users.
Access levels allow fine-grained access from outside the perimeter.
Question 217 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 security engineer is configuring VPC Service Controls to protect a project containing BigQuery datasets with PII. They want to prevent data exfiltration while allowing authorized users to query the data from outside the perimeter. Which configuration meets these requirements?
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 perimeter that includes the project, and use an access level from Access Context Manager to grant access to authorized users.
Option D is correct because VPC Service Controls use Access Context Manager (ACM) access levels to define granular, identity-based access conditions. By including the project in a perimeter and applying an access level that specifies authorized users (e.g., based on IP ranges, device state, or identity), you can allow those users to query BigQuery from outside the perimeter while blocking all other external traffic, preventing data exfiltration.
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 perimeter that includes the project, and set the 'allowed external access' flag to true.
Why it's wrong here
Allowing all external access defeats the purpose of the perimeter.
- ✗
Create a perimeter and enable the 'exfiltration exception' for BigQuery.
Why it's wrong here
There is no 'exfiltration exception' flag; access is controlled via access levels.
- ✗
Create a perimeter that includes only Compute Engine instances, and use a separate perimeter for BigQuery.
Why it's wrong here
Perimeters can include projects with BigQuery datasets directly.
- ✓
Create a perimeter that includes the project, and use an access level from Access Context Manager to grant access to authorized users.
Why this is correct
Access levels allow fine-grained access from outside the perimeter.
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 mistake in Google PCA exams is thinking VPC Service Controls have a simple 'allow external access' toggle or a dedicated 'exfiltration exception' flag, when in reality the only way to grant external access is through Access Context Manager access levels or ingress/egress rules.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
VPC Service Controls enforce a perimeter around Google Cloud services by blocking all traffic from outside the perimeter unless explicitly allowed via an access level. Access levels can be based on attributes like IP subnet (using CIDR ranges), device policy (e.g., Chrome Enterprise), or identity (via Google Groups), and are evaluated at the time of request. In a real-world scenario, an organization might allow data analysts to query BigQuery from a corporate VPN by setting an access level that permits traffic from the VPN's IP range, while still preventing unauthorized external access.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
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: Create a perimeter that includes the project, and use an access level from Access Context Manager to grant access to authorized users. — Option D is correct because VPC Service Controls use Access Context Manager (ACM) access levels to define granular, identity-based access conditions. By including the project in a perimeter and applying an access level that specifies authorized users (e.g., based on IP ranges, device state, or identity), you can allow those users to query BigQuery from outside the perimeter while blocking all other external traffic, preventing data exfiltration.
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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