- A
Cloud Armor
Cloud Armor provides WAF and DDoS protection at the edge, enforcing security policies.
- B
Access Context Manager (ACM)
ACM defines access levels based on attributes like device, IP, and time.
- C
Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP)
IAP verifies user identity and context before allowing access to applications.
- D
VPC Networks
Why wrong: VPC networks provide network segmentation but not identity- and context-based access.
- E
Cloud VPN
Why wrong: Cloud VPN connects networks, but does not enforce zero-trust per-access.
Question 923 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. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Which THREE Google Cloud services can be used to implement a zero-trust architecture for network security? (Choose three.)
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
✓
Cloud Armor
Cloud Armor is correct because it provides web application firewall (WAF) and DDoS protection at the edge of Google's network, enforcing security policies based on IP addresses, geo-locations, and Layer 7 attributes. This aligns with zero-trust principles by inspecting and filtering traffic before it reaches the application, ensuring that only authorized requests are allowed, regardless of the network perimeter.
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.
- ✓
Cloud Armor
Why this is correct
Cloud Armor provides WAF and DDoS protection at the edge, enforcing security policies.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Access Context Manager (ACM)
Why this is correct
ACM defines access levels based on attributes like device, IP, and time.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP)
Why this is correct
IAP verifies user identity and context before allowing access to applications.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
VPC Networks
Why it's wrong here
VPC networks provide network segmentation but not identity- and context-based access.
- ✗
Cloud VPN
Why it's wrong here
Cloud VPN connects networks, but does not enforce zero-trust per-access.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse network-level connectivity services (like VPC Networks and Cloud VPN) with security controls, mistakenly thinking that encrypting traffic or segmenting networks alone satisfies zero-trust requirements, when zero-trust actually demands identity- and context-aware access enforcement at the application layer.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Zero-trust architecture (ZTA) assumes no implicit trust based on network location; every request must be authenticated, authorized, and encrypted. Access Context Manager (ACM) integrates with IAP to enforce context-aware access policies based on user identity, device state, and IP address, using the Access Approval and Access Transparency logs for audit. In practice, combining ACM with IAP allows organizations to implement BeyondCorp-style access, where users can securely access applications without a VPN, by evaluating attributes like device OS version and location before granting 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: Cloud Armor — Cloud Armor is correct because it provides web application firewall (WAF) and DDoS protection at the edge of Google's network, enforcing security policies based on IP addresses, geo-locations, and Layer 7 attributes. This aligns with zero-trust principles by inspecting and filtering traffic before it reaches the application, ensuring that only authorized requests are allowed, regardless of the network perimeter.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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