- A
Use Cloud Audit Logs to detect keys older than 30 days and manually delete them.
Why wrong: This is manual and does not prevent creation of keys with no expiration.
- B
Set the organization policy constraint iam.disableServiceAccountKeyCreation.
Why wrong: This disables all key creation, which is too restrictive as keys are needed for automation.
- C
Set the organization policy constraint iam.restrictServiceAccountKeyExpiryHours to 720 hours and use the Service Account Key Manager to schedule automatic rotation.
The constraint enforces maximum key lifetime, and the Key Manager can rotate keys automatically, ensuring rotation without manual effort.
- D
Use IAM conditions to require that key creation only succeeds if an expiration time is set.
Why wrong: IAM conditions cannot enforce a maximum duration; they can only check that a value exists.
Google ACE Configuring access and security Practice Question
This ACE practice question tests your understanding of configuring access and security. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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's security team wants to enforce that all service account keys in production projects are rotated every 30 days and prevent creation of keys that never expire. Which single solution should they implement?
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
Set the organization policy constraint iam.restrictServiceAccountKeyExpiryHours to 720 hours and use the Service Account Key Manager to schedule automatic rotation.
Option C is correct because the organization policy constraint `iam.restrictServiceAccountKeyExpiryHours` enforces a maximum key lifetime (720 hours = 30 days), and the Service Account Key Manager can automate rotation before expiry. This combination ensures all service account keys are rotated every 30 days and prevents creation of keys that never expire, meeting both requirements with a single solution.
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.
- ✗
Use Cloud Audit Logs to detect keys older than 30 days and manually delete them.
Why it's wrong here
This is manual and does not prevent creation of keys with no expiration.
- ✗
Set the organization policy constraint iam.disableServiceAccountKeyCreation.
Why it's wrong here
This disables all key creation, which is too restrictive as keys are needed for automation.
- ✓
Set the organization policy constraint iam.restrictServiceAccountKeyExpiryHours to 720 hours and use the Service Account Key Manager to schedule automatic rotation.
Why this is correct
The constraint enforces maximum key lifetime, and the Key Manager can rotate keys automatically, ensuring rotation without manual effort.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "never" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use IAM conditions to require that key creation only succeeds if an expiration time is set.
Why it's wrong here
IAM conditions cannot enforce a maximum duration; they can only check that a value exists.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the distinction between detection (Audit Logs) and enforcement (organization policy constraints), and candidates mistakenly choose a logging-based solution because they overlook the requirement to 'prevent creation' of non-expiring keys.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The `iam.restrictServiceAccountKeyExpiryHours` constraint is an organization policy that sets a maximum allowed lifetime for service account keys, measured in hours (720 hours = 30 days). When this constraint is applied, any attempt to create a key with a longer lifetime or no expiration is denied at the API level. The Service Account Key Manager (a feature of IAM) can then be used to schedule automatic rotation by creating a new key and disabling the old one before the constraint forces expiry, ensuring continuous access without manual intervention.
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.
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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Configuring access and security — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this ACE question test?
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: Set the organization policy constraint iam.restrictServiceAccountKeyExpiryHours to 720 hours and use the Service Account Key Manager to schedule automatic rotation. — Option C is correct because the organization policy constraint `iam.restrictServiceAccountKeyExpiryHours` enforces a maximum key lifetime (720 hours = 30 days), and the Service Account Key Manager can automate rotation before expiry. This combination ensures all service account keys are rotated every 30 days and prevents creation of keys that never expire, meeting both requirements with a single solution.
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.
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: Jun 30, 2026
This ACE 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 ACE exam.
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