- A
Create network firewall rules at the organization level
Why wrong: Network firewall rules are per-project and cannot be applied at the organization level.
- B
Configure VPC Service Controls with a perimeter
Why wrong: VPC Service Controls restrict access to Google APIs, not firewall rules.
- C
Enable Organizational Policy constraints
Why wrong: Organizational policies can restrict resource configurations but not firewall rules.
- D
Use a hierarchical firewall policy at the organization node
Hierarchical firewall policies can be applied at the org level and are inherited by all folders and projects; they can be set to not be overridden.
Question 16 of 1,000
PCSE Configuring Network Security Practice Question
This PCSE practice question tests your understanding of configuring network security. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
A company wants to enforce that all VPC firewall rules in an organization must be centrally managed and cannot be overridden by lower-level projects. Which approach should they use?
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 a hierarchical firewall policy at the organization node
Hierarchical firewall policies are applied at the organization, folder, or project level and are inherited downward. They can be set to have higher priority than network firewall rules, and lower-level rules cannot override them if the policy is set accordingly.
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.
- ✗
Create network firewall rules at the organization level
Why it's wrong here
Network firewall rules are per-project and cannot be applied at the organization level.
- ✗
Configure VPC Service Controls with a perimeter
Why it's wrong here
VPC Service Controls restrict access to Google APIs, not firewall rules.
- ✗
Enable Organizational Policy constraints
Why it's wrong here
Organizational policies can restrict resource configurations but not firewall rules.
- ✓
Use a hierarchical firewall policy at the organization node
Why this is correct
Hierarchical firewall policies can be applied at the org level and are inherited by all folders and projects; they can be set to not be overridden.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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 healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which PCSE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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Configuring Network Security — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCSE question test?
Configuring Network Security — This question tests Configuring Network Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use a hierarchical firewall policy at the organization node — Hierarchical firewall policies are applied at the organization, folder, or project level and are inherited downward. They can be set to have higher priority than network firewall rules, and lower-level rules cannot override them if the policy is set accordingly.
What should I do if I get this PCSE question wrong?
Identify which PCSE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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.
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