Google ACE Configuring access and security Practice Question
This ACE practice question tests your understanding of configuring access and 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 company requires that all service account keys be automatically rotated every 90 days. Which two steps should the administrator take to enforce this? (Choose two.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use the Service Account API to create keys with a custom expiration time.
Option C is correct because the Service Account API allows creating keys with a custom expiration time, which enforces automatic rotation by ensuring keys are invalid after 90 days. Option E is correct because a Cloud Function can monitor key age and delete keys older than 90 days, providing a programmatic enforcement mechanism. Both approaches ensure keys are rotated automatically without manual intervention.
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.
✗
Enable the Service Account Key Rotator in the Google Cloud Console.
Why it's wrong here
There is no such built-in feature.
✗
Use IAM to set a condition that keys must have an expiration date.
Why it's wrong here
IAM conditions cannot enforce key expiration dates.
✓
Use the Service Account API to create keys with a custom expiration time.
Why this is correct
Keys can be created with expiration in the API, enforcing rotation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use an Organization Policy to disable service account key creation.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling key creation prevents any key usage, not rotation.
✓
Use a Cloud Function to monitor key age and delete keys older than 90 days.
Why this is correct
Automated monitoring and deletion achieves rotation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that there is a built-in 'auto-rotate' toggle in the console, but in reality, you must use API-level expiration or custom automation like Cloud Functions to enforce rotation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The Service Account API's `create()` method accepts an optional `lifetime` parameter (e.g., `lifetime: '2160h'` for 90 days), which sets the key's `validBefore` and `validAfter` timestamps. Under the hood, Google Cloud uses the `validAfterTime` field to reject authentication attempts with expired keys. A Cloud Function triggered by Cloud Scheduler can use the IAM API's `projects.serviceAccounts.keys.list()` with a filter on `validAfterTime` to identify and delete keys older than 90 days, ensuring compliance without manual audits.
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 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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this ACE question in full detail.
Configuring access and security — This question tests Configuring access and security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use the Service Account API to create keys with a custom expiration time. — Option C is correct because the Service Account API allows creating keys with a custom expiration time, which enforces automatic rotation by ensuring keys are invalid after 90 days. Option E is correct because a Cloud Function can monitor key age and delete keys older than 90 days, providing a programmatic enforcement mechanism. Both approaches ensure keys are rotated automatically without manual intervention.
What should I do if I get this ACE 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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Question Discussion
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