- A
Use a Cloud Storage bucket with bucket-level default encryption.
Why wrong: BigQuery is not Cloud Storage.
- B
Use Customer-Managed Encryption Keys (CMEK) via Cloud KMS.
BigQuery tables can use CMEK.
- C
Use Cloud SQL with encryption at rest.
Why wrong: Cloud SQL is a different service.
- D
Use Customer-Supplied Encryption Keys (CSEK).
BigQuery supports CSEK.
- E
Use Cloud Bigtable with encryption at rest.
Why wrong: Cloud Bigtable is a different service.
Question 969 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 methods can be used to encrypt data at rest in BigQuery?
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
✓
Use Customer-Managed Encryption Keys (CMEK) via Cloud KMS.
Customer-Managed Encryption Keys (CMEK) allow you to manage the encryption keys used to protect BigQuery data at rest via Cloud KMS. This gives you control over key rotation, access, and lifecycle, while BigQuery handles the encryption and decryption transparently. It is a supported method for encrypting data at rest in BigQuery.
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 a Cloud Storage bucket with bucket-level default encryption.
Why it's wrong here
BigQuery is not Cloud Storage.
- ✓
Use Customer-Managed Encryption Keys (CMEK) via Cloud KMS.
Why this is correct
BigQuery tables can use CMEK.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use Cloud SQL with encryption at rest.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud SQL is a different service.
- ✓
Use Customer-Supplied Encryption Keys (CSEK).
Why this is correct
BigQuery supports CSEK.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use Cloud Bigtable with encryption at rest.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Bigtable is a different service.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A common trap on the Google PCA exam is that candidates confuse general encryption features (like Cloud Storage default encryption or Cloud SQL encryption) with BigQuery-specific encryption options, or they forget that CSEK is also a valid option for BigQuery.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
BigQuery stores data in a distributed file system called Colossus, which uses AES-256 encryption at rest by default. With CMEK, you create a key ring and key in Cloud KMS, then associate that key with a BigQuery table or dataset via a CMEK configuration; BigQuery uses envelope encryption, where a data encryption key (DEK) is encrypted by a key encryption key (KEK) stored in Cloud KMS. This allows you to audit key usage through Cloud Audit Logs and enforce key rotation policies without re-encrypting the underlying data.
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.
- →
Design for security and compliance — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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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: Use Customer-Managed Encryption Keys (CMEK) via Cloud KMS. — Customer-Managed Encryption Keys (CMEK) allow you to manage the encryption keys used to protect BigQuery data at rest via Cloud KMS. This gives you control over key rotation, access, and lifecycle, while BigQuery handles the encryption and decryption transparently. It is a supported method for encrypting data at rest in BigQuery.
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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