- A
Dataplex
Why wrong: Dataplex provides data quality rules and metadata management, but not de-identification transforms.
- B
BigQuery column-level security
Why wrong: Column-level security restricts access to columns but does not transform data. The requirement is to de-identify (mask) data, not just restrict access.
- C
Data Catalog
Why wrong: Data Catalog manages metadata and tags but does not inspect or transform sensitive data.
- D
Cloud DLP
Cloud DLP can inspect BigQuery tables for sensitive info and apply de-identification transformations like masking, tokenization, etc.
Question 687 of 1,000
PDE Maintaining and Automating Data Workloads Practice Question
This PDE practice question tests your understanding of maintaining and automating data workloads. 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 data engineer needs to inspect a BigQuery table for sensitive data such as credit card numbers and email addresses before sharing it with a third party. The engineer also wants to de-identify the data by masking the sensitive columns. Which Google Cloud service 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
✓
Cloud DLP
Cloud DLP (Data Loss Prevention) is the correct service because it is specifically designed to inspect, classify, and de-identify sensitive data such as credit card numbers and email addresses. It provides built-in infoType detectors for over 150 types of sensitive data and supports masking, tokenization, and other de-identification techniques. The engineer can use Cloud DLP to scan BigQuery tables and then apply transformations to mask the sensitive columns before sharing.
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.
- ✗
Dataplex
Why it's wrong here
Dataplex provides data quality rules and metadata management, but not de-identification transforms.
- ✗
BigQuery column-level security
Why it's wrong here
Column-level security restricts access to columns but does not transform data. The requirement is to de-identify (mask) data, not just restrict access.
- ✗
Data Catalog
Why it's wrong here
Data Catalog manages metadata and tags but does not inspect or transform sensitive data.
- ✓
Cloud DLP
Why this is correct
Cloud DLP can inspect BigQuery tables for sensitive info and apply de-identification transformations like masking, tokenization, etc.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse BigQuery column-level security (access control) with data masking, but BigQuery column-level security only hides data from unauthorized users and does not inspect or transform the data itself, whereas Cloud DLP performs actual de-identification.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cloud DLP uses infoType detectors (e.g., CREDIT_CARD_NUMBER, EMAIL_ADDRESS) that rely on pattern matching, checksums, and context analysis to identify sensitive data. For de-identification, it supports techniques like masking (e.g., replacing characters with 'X'), tokenization, and date shifting. In a real-world scenario, a data engineer can use Cloud DLP's `inspect` and `deidentify` APIs to scan a BigQuery table and output a masked copy, ensuring compliance with regulations like PCI DSS or GDPR without exposing raw data to third parties.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Maintaining and Automating Data Workloads — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PDE question test?
Maintaining and Automating Data Workloads — This question tests Maintaining and Automating Data Workloads — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Cloud DLP — Cloud DLP (Data Loss Prevention) is the correct service because it is specifically designed to inspect, classify, and de-identify sensitive data such as credit card numbers and email addresses. It provides built-in infoType detectors for over 150 types of sensitive data and supports masking, tokenization, and other de-identification techniques. The engineer can use Cloud DLP to scan BigQuery tables and then apply transformations to mask the sensitive columns before sharing.
What should I do if I get this PDE question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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