- A
Use Cloud DLP to redact cardholder data in logs.
Why wrong: DLP is for logs and data in use, not for encrypting stored data.
- B
Enable Cloud Audit Logs to monitor access to the database.
Why wrong: Audit logs monitor but do not protect the data.
- C
Enable Cloud SQL encryption with Customer-Managed Encryption Keys (CMEK).
CMEK ensures data is encrypted at rest with a key managed by the organization.
- D
Configure VPC Service Controls to restrict egress from the Cloud SQL instance.
Why wrong: VPC Service Controls prevent data exfiltration but do not protect data at rest.
- E
Implement column-level encryption for PAN fields before inserting into the database.
Column-level encryption ensures sensitive fields are stored encrypted.
Question 182 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 TWO controls should a financial services company implement to comply with PCI DSS requirement related to protecting cardholder data stored in Cloud SQL? (Choose two.)
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
✓
Enable Cloud SQL encryption with Customer-Managed Encryption Keys (CMEK).
Option C is correct because PCI DSS requires encryption of cardholder data at rest, and Cloud SQL with Customer-Managed Encryption Keys (CMEK) allows the company to manage and control the encryption keys used to protect data stored in the database. This meets the requirement for strong cryptography and key management, ensuring that even if the underlying storage is compromised, the data remains unreadable.
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.
- ✗
Use Cloud DLP to redact cardholder data in logs.
Why it's wrong here
DLP is for logs and data in use, not for encrypting stored data.
- ✗
Enable Cloud Audit Logs to monitor access to the database.
Why it's wrong here
Audit logs monitor but do not protect the data.
- ✓
Enable Cloud SQL encryption with Customer-Managed Encryption Keys (CMEK).
Why this is correct
CMEK ensures data is encrypted at rest with a key managed by the organization.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Configure VPC Service Controls to restrict egress from the Cloud SQL instance.
Why it's wrong here
VPC Service Controls prevent data exfiltration but do not protect data at rest.
- ✓
Implement column-level encryption for PAN fields before inserting into the database.
Why this is correct
Column-level encryption ensures sensitive fields are stored encrypted.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google often tests the distinction between encryption at rest (CMEK) and other security controls like logging (Cloud Audit Logs), network restrictions (VPC Service Controls), or data masking (Cloud DLP), leading candidates to confuse compliance requirements for data protection with monitoring or access control measures.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cloud SQL with CMEK uses Cloud Key Management Service (KMS) to wrap the data encryption keys (DEKs) that encrypt the database storage. The customer manages the key encryption keys (KEKs) in Cloud KMS, and Cloud SQL uses envelope encryption to encrypt data at rest. In a real-world scenario, if a company needs to rotate keys due to a security policy or compliance audit, CMEK allows them to schedule key rotations without re-encrypting the entire database, as only the DEK is re-wrapped with the new KEK.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
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: Enable Cloud SQL encryption with Customer-Managed Encryption Keys (CMEK). — Option C is correct because PCI DSS requires encryption of cardholder data at rest, and Cloud SQL with Customer-Managed Encryption Keys (CMEK) allows the company to manage and control the encryption keys used to protect data stored in the database. This meets the requirement for strong cryptography and key management, ensuring that even if the underlying storage is compromised, the data remains unreadable.
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
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.
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