- A
Cloud HSM
Why wrong: Cloud HSM is a service for managing keys, but the key material is stored by Google in the HSM.
- B
Google-managed encryption keys (GMEK)
Why wrong: GMEK uses Google-owned keys, not customer-supplied.
- C
Customer-supplied encryption keys (CSEK)
CSEK requires the customer to supply the key with each API call and Google never stores it.
- D
Customer-managed encryption keys (CMEK)
Why wrong: CMEK uses Cloud KMS; Google stores the key material (encrypted by HSM).
Question 286 of 1,000
PCSE Ensuring Data Protection Practice Question
This PCSE practice question tests your understanding of ensuring data protection. 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.
An organization wants to encrypt data at rest using customer-managed keys on Compute Engine persistent disks. They need to provide the key material with each API call, and Google should never store the key. Which encryption approach should they use?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"never"Why it matters: Absolute qualifier. True only if the statement has zero exceptions — be cautious of options that seem obvious but break down in edge cases.
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 the customer to provide their own encryption keys, which are used to encrypt data at rest. The keys are provided with each API call and are not stored by Google. CMEK uses Cloud KMS where Google stores the key material (encrypted by HSM). GMEK is Google-managed. Cloud HSM is a service for managing keys but still stores them.
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.
- ✗
Cloud HSM
Why it's wrong here
Cloud HSM is a service for managing keys, but the key material is stored by Google in the HSM.
- ✗
Google-managed encryption keys (GMEK)
Why it's wrong here
GMEK uses Google-owned keys, not customer-supplied.
- ✓
Customer-supplied encryption keys (CSEK)
Why this is correct
CSEK requires the customer to supply the key with each API call and Google never stores it.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "never" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Customer-managed encryption keys (CMEK)
Why it's wrong here
CMEK uses Cloud KMS; Google stores the key material (encrypted by HSM).
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
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.
- →
Ensuring Data Protection — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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Ensuring Data Protection practice questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCSE question test?
Ensuring Data Protection — This question tests Ensuring Data Protection — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Customer-supplied encryption keys (CSEK) — Customer-Supplied Encryption Keys (CSEK) allow the customer to provide their own encryption keys, which are used to encrypt data at rest. The keys are provided with each API call and are not stored by Google. CMEK uses Cloud KMS where Google stores the key material (encrypted by HSM). GMEK is Google-managed. Cloud HSM is a service for managing keys but still stores them.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "never". Absolute qualifier. True only if the statement has zero exceptions — be cautious of options that seem obvious but break down in edge cases.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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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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