Google PCA Designing for Security and Compliance Practice Question
An organization needs to store API keys and database passwords securely in Google Cloud. They want to automatically rotate secrets 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 supports automatic rotation with a rotation period and can trigger a Cloud Function to generate a new secret version.
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 Storage with bucket-level encryption
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Storage with bucket-level encryption protects objects at rest but offers no secret versioning, access API or rotation mechanism; credentials would sit as ordinary objects. It suits storing arbitrary files and backups, so it tempts as ubiquitous storage, yet managed secret lifecycle with scheduled rotation requires Secret Manager.
- ✗
Cloud Key Management Service (Cloud KMS)
Why it's wrong here
Cloud KMS manages encryption keys and performs cryptographic operations; it stores key material, not application secrets, and its rotation applies to key versions rather than API credentials. It suits envelope encryption of data at rest, so it tempts wherever keys and secrets are conflated, but scheduled secret rotation belongs to Secret Manager.
- ✓
Secret Manager
Why this is correct
Secret Manager stores API keys and database passwords as versioned secrets, and its rotation schedules trigger Pub/Sub notifications every 30 days so rotation can be automated. This directly satisfies the stem's requirement for secure storage plus automatic 30-day rotation, unlike Cloud KMS, which manages encryption keys rather than application credentials.
- ✗
Cloud Runtime Configurator
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Runtime Configurator stores and serves dynamic configuration values and metadata to running instances; it provides no secret encryption, access auditing or rotation scheduling. It suits runtime configuration such as feature flags, so it tempts as a general key-value store, but credential storage with 30-day rotation requires Secret Manager.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
IAM Policies, Service Accounts, and Auditing
Key term
Secret Manager
A Secret Manager is a centralized tool that securely stores, manages, and controls access to sensitive information like passwords, API keys, and certificates, often automating their rotation and injection into applications.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every PCA question from scratch — 807 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.