- A
Rate limiting
Why wrong: Rate limiting controls request frequency, not origin country.
- B
Preconfigured WAF rules
Why wrong: WAF rules inspect for web attacks, not geographical origin.
- C
Adaptive Protection
Why wrong: Adaptive Protection uses ML for DDoS detection, not geo-blocking.
- D
Custom rule with geo-based condition
Cloud Armor custom rules can use the origin.region_code field to match the source country.
Question 602 of 1,000
PCSE Configuring Network Security Practice Question
This PCSE practice question tests your understanding of configuring network security. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 team wants to block all incoming traffic from a specific country to their web application behind a global HTTPS load balancer. They also need to allow traffic from all other countries. Which Cloud Armor feature should be used?
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
✓
Custom rule with geo-based condition
Cloud Armor supports geo-based access control. By creating a custom rule that uses a GeoIP match condition to deny traffic from the specific country, all other traffic is allowed by default (or via another rule).
Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Rate limiting
Why it's wrong here
Rate limiting controls request frequency, not origin country.
- ✗
Preconfigured WAF rules
Why it's wrong here
WAF rules inspect for web attacks, not geographical origin.
- ✗
Adaptive Protection
Why it's wrong here
Adaptive Protection uses ML for DDoS detection, not geo-blocking.
- ✓
Custom rule with geo-based condition
Why this is correct
Cloud Armor custom rules can use the origin.region_code field to match the source country.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: ACLs stop at the first match
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Standard ACLs match source addresses.
- Extended ACLs can match source, destination, protocol and ports.
- The first matching ACL entry is used.
- There is usually an implicit deny at the end.
TExam Day Tips
- Check inbound versus outbound direction.
- Read the ACL from top to bottom.
- Look for a broader permit or deny above the intended line.
Key takeaway
ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related PCSE ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCSE question test?
Configuring Network Security — This question tests Configuring Network Security — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Custom rule with geo-based condition — Cloud Armor supports geo-based access control. By creating a custom rule that uses a GeoIP match condition to deny traffic from the specific country, all other traffic is allowed by default (or via another rule).
What should I do if I get this PCSE question wrong?
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related PCSE ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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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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