- A
Create a VPC firewall rule at the organization level to deny all egress, then allow egress for the specific tag.
Why wrong: VPC firewall rules are per-project, not organization-wide.
- B
Use a hierarchical firewall policy at the organization level with a deny-all egress rule and a higher priority allow rule for the tag.
Hierarchical firewall policies apply across projects and cannot be overridden, ensuring baseline enforcement.
- C
Use VPC Service Controls to block egress traffic.
Why wrong: VPC Service Controls restricts API access, not general egress traffic.
- D
Configure Cloud Armor with a deny-all egress rule and an exception for the tag.
Why wrong: Cloud Armor protects against incoming web attacks, not egress traffic.
Question 25 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.
An organization wants to enforce a security policy that denies all egress traffic to the internet from all projects in the organization, except for traffic from a specific set of VMs tagged with 'allow-egress'. Which approach 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
✓
Use a hierarchical firewall policy at the organization level with a deny-all egress rule and a higher priority allow rule for the tag.
Hierarchical firewall policies are inherited down the resource hierarchy and can be enforced at the organization or folder level. They cannot be overridden at lower levels, making them suitable for organization-wide baseline rules.
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.
- ✗
Create a VPC firewall rule at the organization level to deny all egress, then allow egress for the specific tag.
Why it's wrong here
VPC firewall rules are per-project, not organization-wide.
- ✓
Use a hierarchical firewall policy at the organization level with a deny-all egress rule and a higher priority allow rule for the tag.
Why this is correct
Hierarchical firewall policies apply across projects and cannot be overridden, ensuring baseline enforcement.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
- ✗
Use VPC Service Controls to block egress traffic.
Why it's wrong here
VPC Service Controls restricts API access, not general egress traffic.
- ✗
Configure Cloud Armor with a deny-all egress rule and an exception for the tag.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Armor protects against incoming web attacks, not egress traffic.
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
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.
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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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 — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use a hierarchical firewall policy at the organization level with a deny-all egress rule and a higher priority allow rule for the tag. — Hierarchical firewall policies are inherited down the resource hierarchy and can be enforced at the organization or folder level. They cannot be overridden at lower levels, making them suitable for organization-wide baseline rules.
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
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