- A
roles/pubsub.publisher
Correct: Grants permission to publish messages to Pub/Sub topics.
- B
roles/secretmanager.viewer
Why wrong: Incorrect: This role only allows viewing secret metadata, not the payload.
- C
roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor
Correct: Grants access to read secret payloads.
- D
roles/pubsub.admin
Why wrong: Incorrect: This role grants full control over Pub/Sub, which is excessive.
- E
roles/secretmanager.admin
Why wrong: Incorrect: This role grants full control over secrets, which is excessive.
Question 666 of 1,000
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 wants to implement a least-privilege security model for a service account that needs to read secrets from Secret Manager and publish messages to Pub/Sub. Which TWO IAM roles should be granted? (Choose TWO)
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"least"Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
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
✓
roles/pubsub.publisher
The minimum roles needed are: roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor for reading secret versions, and roles/pubsub.publisher for publishing messages. roles/secretmanager.admin is too broad, roles/pubsub.admin is too broad, and roles/secretmanager.viewer only allows viewing metadata, not accessing secret values.
Key principle: Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
roles/pubsub.publisher
Why this is correct
Correct: Grants permission to publish messages to Pub/Sub topics.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
- ✗
roles/secretmanager.viewer
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: This role only allows viewing secret metadata, not the payload.
- ✓
roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor
Why this is correct
Correct: Grants access to read secret payloads.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
- ✗
roles/pubsub.admin
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: This role grants full control over Pub/Sub, which is excessive.
- ✗
roles/secretmanager.admin
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: This role grants full control over secrets, which is excessive.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Authentication checks who the user is.
- Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
- Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
- AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
- Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
- Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
- Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
Key takeaway
Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
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.
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related ACE questions on access control and AAA configuration.
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Configuring Access and Security — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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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 — Authentication checks who the user is..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: roles/pubsub.publisher — The minimum roles needed are: roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor for reading secret versions, and roles/pubsub.publisher for publishing messages. roles/secretmanager.admin is too broad, roles/pubsub.admin is too broad, and roles/secretmanager.viewer only allows viewing metadata, not accessing secret values.
What should I do if I get this ACE question wrong?
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related ACE questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Authentication checks who the user is.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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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