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Question 471 of 509

Manage implementation of cloud architecture →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The correct answer is to add a step in Cloud Build that runs a vulnerability scanner on the image and fails the build if vulnerabilities exceed a threshold. This works because Cloud Build supports custom build steps that can execute tools like Trivy or use the `gcloud container images list-tags` command with the `--show-occurrences-from` flag to query Container Analysis results; if the scan detects vulnerabilities above your defined threshold, the step exits with a non-zero status, halting the pipeline and preventing the image from reaching Container Registry or being deployed to GKE. On the Google Professional Cloud Architect exam, this scenario tests your understanding of integrating security gates directly into CI/CD vulnerability scanning workflows, with a common trap being to rely on post-deployment scanning or manual approval steps that fail to enforce the policy automatically. Remember the key principle: fail the build, not the deployment—if the scanner finds issues, the build step itself must stop the pipeline, ensuring only clean images proceed.

Google PCA Manage implementation of cloud architecture Practice Question

This PCA practice question tests your understanding of manage implementation of cloud architecture. 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.

You are designing a CI/CD pipeline for a containerized application on Google Cloud. The application is built with Cloud Build, stored in Container Registry, and deployed to GKE. The team wants to ensure that only images that pass vulnerability scanning are deployed. What should you do?

Question 1mediummultiple choice

Full question →

A
Add a step in Cloud Build that runs a vulnerability scanner on the image and fails the build if vulnerabilities exceed a threshold.
This integrates scanning into the pipeline, preventing vulnerable images from being pushed.
B
Configure Container Analysis to automatically scan images in Container Registry and block deployment via a webhook.
Why wrong: Container Analysis scans after push; it cannot block the push itself.
C
Enable Binary Authorization on the GKE cluster and configure a policy to require an attestation from a trusted authority.
Why wrong: Binary Authorization does not perform vulnerability scanning; it requires attestations.
D
Use Security Command Center to detect vulnerabilities and alert the team to manually block deployments.
Why wrong: This is reactive, not proactive, and doesn't prevent deployment automatically.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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

✓

Add a step in Cloud Build that runs a vulnerability scanner on the image and fails the build if vulnerabilities exceed a threshold.

Option A is correct because Cloud Build can include a custom step that runs a vulnerability scanner (e.g., using the Google Cloud `gcloud container images list-tags` with the `--show-occurrences-from` flag or a third-party tool like Trivy) and then evaluates the results against a threshold. If the scan finds vulnerabilities exceeding the defined threshold, the build step exits with a non-zero status, causing the Cloud Build pipeline to fail and preventing the image from being pushed to Container Registry or deployed. This directly enforces the requirement that only images passing vulnerability scanning proceed in the CI/CD pipeline.

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.

✓
Add a step in Cloud Build that runs a vulnerability scanner on the image and fails the build if vulnerabilities exceed a threshold.
Why this is correct
This integrates scanning into the pipeline, preventing vulnerable images from being pushed.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Configure Container Analysis to automatically scan images in Container Registry and block deployment via a webhook.
Why it's wrong here
Container Analysis scans after push; it cannot block the push itself.
✗
Enable Binary Authorization on the GKE cluster and configure a policy to require an attestation from a trusted authority.
Why it's wrong here
Binary Authorization does not perform vulnerability scanning; it requires attestations.
✗
Use Security Command Center to detect vulnerabilities and alert the team to manually block deployments.
Why it's wrong here
This is reactive, not proactive, and doesn't prevent deployment automatically.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates often confuse Binary Authorization (which requires attestations but does not perform scanning) with vulnerability scanning, or they assume Container Analysis can directly block deployments via a webhook, when in fact it only generates metadata that must be consumed by another policy engine.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Under the hood, Cloud Build supports custom build steps using any container image, so you can use a vulnerability scanner like `aquasec/trivy` or `gcr.io/gcp-runtimes/container-structure-test` to scan the built image. The scanner outputs a JSON or text report; a subsequent step can parse the report and exit with a non-zero code if the number of critical or high-severity vulnerabilities exceeds a threshold (e.g., `if [ "$critical_count" -gt 5 ]; then exit 1; fi`). This approach is common in real-world pipelines where teams define a vulnerability SLA (e.g., no critical vulnerabilities) and fail the build automatically, ensuring only compliant images reach the registry.

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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.

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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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this PCA question test?

Manage implementation of cloud architecture — This question tests Manage implementation of cloud architecture — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Add a step in Cloud Build that runs a vulnerability scanner on the image and fails the build if vulnerabilities exceed a threshold. — Option A is correct because Cloud Build can include a custom step that runs a vulnerability scanner (e.g., using the Google Cloud `gcloud container images list-tags` with the `--show-occurrences-from` flag or a third-party tool like Trivy) and then evaluates the results against a threshold. If the scan finds vulnerabilities exceeding the defined threshold, the build step exits with a non-zero status, causing the Cloud Build pipeline to fail and preventing the image from being pushed to Container Registry or deployed. This directly enforces the requirement that only images passing vulnerability scanning proceed in the CI/CD pipeline.

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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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.