PCSE Ensuring Data Protection Practice Question
A company needs to store sensitive API keys in Secret Manager and ensure that only a specific service account can access the latest version of a secret. Which IAM permission is required for the service account to read the secret value?
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
✓
secretmanager.versions.access
To access a secret version's payload (the actual secret value), the permission 'secretmanager.versions.access' is required. The role 'roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor' includes this permission. The other permissions are for listing or managing metadata.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
secretmanager.secrets.get
Why it's wrong here
This permission allows getting secret metadata, not the secret value.
- ✓
secretmanager.versions.access
Why this is correct
This permission allows accessing the secret payload of a version.
- ✗
secretmanager.secrets.create
Why it's wrong here
This permission allows creating secrets, not reading values.
- ✗
secretmanager.versions.list
Why it's wrong here
This permission allows listing versions, not accessing the payload.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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