hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
PCSE Practice Question: A company has a Cloud Storage bucket containing…
A company has a Cloud Storage bucket containing sensitive data. They want to ensure that only users with specific IAM roles can access the bucket, and that access is logged for audit purposes. They also want to prevent public access. Which configuration steps should they take?
⚠ Common exam trap
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that ACLs are still needed for granular control, but uniform bucket-level access combined with IAM is the modern, secure approach that prevents public access and simplifies auditing.
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 uniform bucket-level access, set IAM policies, and enable Cloud Audit Logs.
Enabling uniform bucket-level access disables ACLs, forcing all access decisions to be made by IAM policies alone, which simplifies permission management and prevents public access. Setting IAM policies ensures only users with specific roles can access the bucket, and enabling Cloud Audit Logs captures all access requests for audit purposes. This combination meets all requirements: no public access, role-based access control, and logging.
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 IAM roles only and enable Cloud Audit Logs, but keep ACLs enabled.
Why it's wrong here
ACLs can override IAM permissions.
- ✗
Use VPC Service Controls and enable Cloud Audit Logs.
Why it's wrong here
VPC Service Controls control network access, not bucket-level access.
- ✓
Enable uniform bucket-level access, set IAM policies, and enable Cloud Audit Logs.
Why this is correct
Uniform bucket-level access disables ACLs and relies solely on IAM, and audit logs track access.
- ✗
Enable fine-grained access using ACLs and enable Cloud Audit Logs.
Why it's wrong here
ACLs can allow public access unintentionally and are harder to audit.
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This PCSE 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 PCSE exam.