PCSE Practice Question: Configuring Access Within a Cloud Solution Environment
A company has a security policy that service account keys should not be created. They want to prevent anyone from creating keys for any service account in the organization. Which organization policy constraint should they use?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse the IAM permission `iam.serviceAccountKeys.create` with the organization policy constraint name. In the Google Professional Cloud Security Engineer exam, it's crucial to distinguish between IAM permissions (which allow actions) and organization policy constraints (which enforce restrictions). Option A uses an IAM permission, not an organization policy constraint, leading to an incorrect choice.
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
✓
constraints/iam.disableServiceAccountKeyCreation
The `constraints/iam.disableServiceAccountKeyCreation` organization policy constraint explicitly prevents the creation of user-managed service account keys across the entire organization. This aligns with the security policy that service account keys should not be created, as it enforces the use of short-lived credentials or workload identity federation instead of long-lived keys.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Custom constraint with iam.serviceAccountKeys.create
Why it's wrong here
Could work but the built-in constraint is the standard approach.
- ✗
constraints/iam.allowedPolicyMemberDomains
Why it's wrong here
Restricts which domains can be members in IAM policies, not key creation.
- ✗
constraints/compute.requireShieldedVm
Why it's wrong here
Enforces Shielded VM, not key creation.
- ✓
constraints/iam.disableServiceAccountKeyCreation
Why this is correct
Prevents creation of service account keys.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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