- A
Create a custom role with bigquery.tables.getData and storage.objects.create, and assign to the group at the organization level.
Why wrong: Creating a custom role with bigquery.tables.getData and storage.objects.create and assigning at the organization level is wrong because it grants these permissions to all resources in the organization, violating the principle of least privilege.
- B
Create a service account for the team and set up workload identity federation with the SAML IdP.
Why wrong: Setting up a service account with workload identity federation is unnecessary; using a Cloud Identity group synchronized with the SAML IdP via GCDS is simpler and sufficient.
- C
Grant the group the BigQuery Data Viewer role at the project A level and Storage Object Admin at the project B level.
Why wrong: Granting the group BigQuery Data Viewer at the project A level and Storage Object Admin at the project B level is too broad: project-level access affects all datasets and buckets, and Storage Object Admin includes permissions like delete that are not needed.
- D
Grant the Cloud Identity group BigQuery Data Viewer on the specific dataset and Storage Object Creator on the specific bucket.
Granting the Cloud Identity group BigQuery Data Viewer on the specific dataset and Storage Object Creator on the specific bucket provides exactly the required read and write access at the resource level.
- E
Create a Cloud Identity group and synchronize it with the SAML IdP using Google Cloud Directory Sync.
Creating a Cloud Identity group and synchronizing it with the SAML IdP using Google Cloud Directory Sync is necessary to map external identities to a Google group that can be used in IAM policies.
PCSE Practice Question: Configuring Access Within a Cloud Solution Environment
This PCSE practice question tests your understanding of configuring access within a cloud solution environment. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 security engineer is designing access control for a multi-project environment. The engineer needs to ensure that a data science team can read data from a BigQuery dataset in Project A and write results to a Cloud Storage bucket in Project B. The team members are authenticated via an external SAML IdP. Which TWO steps should be taken? (Choose 2 correct answers)
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
Grant the Cloud Identity group BigQuery Data Viewer on the specific dataset and Storage Object Creator on the specific bucket.
To meet the requirements, the correct steps are: first, create a Cloud Identity group and synchronize it with the SAML IdP using Google Cloud Directory Sync (Option E). This ensures that users from the SAML IdP are represented as a group in Google Cloud. Second, grant that group BigQuery Data Viewer on the specific dataset in Project A and Storage Object Creator on the specific bucket in Project B (Option D). These roles provide the necessary read and write access at the resource level, following the principle of least privilege. Option A is incorrect because assigning a custom role at the organization level is too broad. Option B is incorrect because using a service account with workload identity federation adds unnecessary complexity when a Cloud Identity group with GCDS can be used. Option C is incorrect because granting roles at the project level (BigQuery Data Viewer at project A, Storage Object Admin at project B) grants more permissions than needed; the Storage Object Admin role includes delete and other permissions not required, and granting at project level affects all datasets/buckets in the project.
Key principle: Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
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 a custom role with bigquery.tables.getData and storage.objects.create, and assign to the group at the organization level.
Why it's wrong here
Creating a custom role with bigquery.tables.getData and storage.objects.create and assigning at the organization level is wrong because it grants these permissions to all resources in the organization, violating the principle of least privilege.
- ✗
Create a service account for the team and set up workload identity federation with the SAML IdP.
Why it's wrong here
Setting up a service account with workload identity federation is unnecessary; using a Cloud Identity group synchronized with the SAML IdP via GCDS is simpler and sufficient.
- ✗
Grant the group the BigQuery Data Viewer role at the project A level and Storage Object Admin at the project B level.
Why it's wrong here
Granting the group BigQuery Data Viewer at the project A level and Storage Object Admin at the project B level is too broad: project-level access affects all datasets and buckets, and Storage Object Admin includes permissions like delete that are not needed.
- ✓
Grant the Cloud Identity group BigQuery Data Viewer on the specific dataset and Storage Object Creator on the specific bucket.
Why this is correct
Granting the Cloud Identity group BigQuery Data Viewer on the specific dataset and Storage Object Creator on the specific bucket provides exactly the required read and write access at the resource level.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
- ✓
Create a Cloud Identity group and synchronize it with the SAML IdP using Google Cloud Directory Sync.
Why this is correct
Creating a Cloud Identity group and synchronizing it with the SAML IdP using Google Cloud Directory Sync is necessary to map external identities to a Google group that can be used in IAM policies.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Authentication checks who the user is.
- Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
- Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
- AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
- Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
- Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
- Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
Key takeaway
Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related PCSE questions on access control and AAA configuration.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCSE question test?
Configuring Access Within a Cloud Solution Environment — This question tests Configuring Access Within a Cloud Solution Environment — Authentication checks who the user is..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Grant the Cloud Identity group BigQuery Data Viewer on the specific dataset and Storage Object Creator on the specific bucket. — To meet the requirements, the correct steps are: first, create a Cloud Identity group and synchronize it with the SAML IdP using Google Cloud Directory Sync (Option E). This ensures that users from the SAML IdP are represented as a group in Google Cloud. Second, grant that group BigQuery Data Viewer on the specific dataset in Project A and Storage Object Creator on the specific bucket in Project B (Option D). These roles provide the necessary read and write access at the resource level, following the principle of least privilege. Option A is incorrect because assigning a custom role at the organization level is too broad. Option B is incorrect because using a service account with workload identity federation adds unnecessary complexity when a Cloud Identity group with GCDS can be used. Option C is incorrect because granting roles at the project level (BigQuery Data Viewer at project A, Storage Object Admin at project B) grants more permissions than needed; the Storage Object Admin role includes delete and other permissions not required, and granting at project level affects all datasets/buckets in the project.
What should I do if I get this PCSE question wrong?
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related PCSE questions on access control and AAA configuration.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Authentication checks who the user is.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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