PCSE Practice Question: Configuring Access Within a Cloud Solution Environment
What is the purpose of Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP) on Google Cloud?
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
✓
To enforce identity-based access control for web applications and SSH/RDP to VMs without requiring a VPN.
Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP) is a service that provides a zero-trust access control layer for applications and resources. It verifies a user's identity and context before allowing access, enforcing application-level access control. It is not a VPN or firewall; it works at the identity level, not network level. It does not replace Cloud Armor or VPC firewalls but complements them.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
To enforce identity-based access control for web applications and SSH/RDP to VMs without requiring a VPN.
Why this is correct
IAP provides zero-trust access by verifying the user's identity and context, allowing access to web apps and VMs via SSH/RDP without a VPN.
- ✗
To manage firewall rules for VPC networks.
Why it's wrong here
VPC firewall rules are managed separately via the VPC firewall service, not IAP.
- ✗
To provide a VPN connection between on-premises and Google Cloud.
Why it's wrong here
That is the purpose of Cloud VPN or Cloud Interconnect, not IAP.
- ✗
To act as a web application firewall (WAF) that blocks SQL injection and XSS attacks.
Why it's wrong here
That is the purpose of Cloud Armor. IAP is for identity-based access control.
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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.