PCSE Ensuring Data Protection Practice Question
A security engineer needs to ensure that all data stored in Cloud Storage buckets and BigQuery tables is encrypted at rest using keys that the organization generates and manages on-premises. The keys must not be stored by Google. Which key management 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
✓
Customer-Supplied Encryption Keys (CSEK)
Customer-Supplied Encryption Keys (CSEK) allow customers to provide their own encryption keys with each API call. Google never stores these keys, ensuring the customer retains full control. GMEK and CMEK involve Google storing the keys, and Cloud HSM is a managed service that stores keys, so none meet the 'not stored by Google' requirement.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Cloud HSM with Customer-Managed Keys
Why it's wrong here
Cloud HSM stores keys in a Google-managed HSM, thus Google stores the key material.
- ✗
Customer-Managed Encryption Keys (CMEK) via Cloud KMS
Why it's wrong here
CMEK keys are stored in Cloud KMS, which is managed by Google.
- ✗
Google default encryption (GMEK)
Why it's wrong here
GMEK uses Google-managed keys, which are stored by Google.
- ✓
Customer-Supplied Encryption Keys (CSEK)
Why this is correct
CSEK allows customers to supply their own keys per API call; Google does not store them.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every PCSE question from scratch — 960 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.