- A
Create a custom role and assign it to the instance's service account through the instance metadata.
Why wrong: Metadata cannot grant IAM roles; service account roles are assigned via IAM policies, not instance metadata.
- B
Use gcloud compute instances create with the --service-account flag pointing to the custom service account.
The --service-account flag specifies the service account to attach to the instance, ensuring it uses that account.
- C
Set the project-wide default service account to the custom service account in the project settings.
Why wrong: There is no project-wide default service account setting; each instance must specify its service account.
- D
Create a startup script that configures the instance to use the custom service account after boot.
Why wrong: The service account must be attached at instance creation; it cannot be changed after boot via startup scripts.
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 security team wants to ensure that all Compute Engine instances in a project automatically use a custom service account with minimal permissions. What must the engineer do when creating new instances?
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
Use gcloud compute instances create with the --service-account flag pointing to the custom service account.
When creating a Compute Engine instance, you can specify a custom service account using the --service-account flag. This attaches the service account to the instance and grants the associated IAM roles. The instance will use the custom service account instead of the default compute engine service account.
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.
- ✗
Create a custom role and assign it to the instance's service account through the instance metadata.
Why it's wrong here
Metadata cannot grant IAM roles; service account roles are assigned via IAM policies, not instance metadata.
- ✓
Use gcloud compute instances create with the --service-account flag pointing to the custom service account.
Why this is correct
The --service-account flag specifies the service account to attach to the instance, ensuring it uses that account.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Set the project-wide default service account to the custom service account in the project settings.
Why it's wrong here
There is no project-wide default service account setting; each instance must specify its service account.
- ✗
Create a startup script that configures the instance to use the custom service account after boot.
Why it's wrong here
The service account must be attached at instance creation; it cannot be changed after boot via startup scripts.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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 ACE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
- →
Configuring Access and Security — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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Configuring Access and Security practice 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 — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use gcloud compute instances create with the --service-account flag pointing to the custom service account. — When creating a Compute Engine instance, you can specify a custom service account using the --service-account flag. This attaches the service account to the instance and grants the associated IAM roles. The instance will use the custom service account instead of the default compute engine service account.
What should I do if I get this ACE question wrong?
Identify which ACE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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: 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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