- A
Customer-Managed Encryption Keys (CMEK) stored in Cloud KMS
Why wrong: With CMEK, the key is stored in Cloud KMS (a Google-managed service). While the customer controls access to the key, Google's infrastructure hosts it — regulators may require the key to never touch Google's systems.
- B
Customer-Supplied Encryption Keys (CSEK) provided with each API request
CSEK requires the customer to supply the encryption key with every API request. GCP uses the key transiently and never stores it — Google cannot access data without the customer providing the key each time.
- C
Google-managed encryption keys (default) with restricted IAM policies
Why wrong: Google-managed keys mean Google controls the encryption — IAM policies restrict data access for GCP customers but don't prevent Google from technically accessing the data.
- D
Shielded VM with confidential computing for the VMs that access the data
Why wrong: Confidential VMs encrypt data in use (RAM) during computation — they don't address the Cloud Storage encryption key ownership requirement.
Quick Answer
The answer is Customer-Supplied Encryption Keys (CSEK) provided with each API request. This option is correct because CSEK allows you to supply your own AES-256 key with every API call to Cloud Storage; Google uses the key only in memory to encrypt or decrypt your data and immediately discards it, never storing the key on its servers. This technical design ensures that even Google cannot access the plaintext, meeting strict compliance requirements where the customer retains exclusive control over encryption keys. On the Google Associate Cloud Engineer exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the three Cloud Storage encryption options—CSEK, CMEK (where Google manages the key in Cloud KMS), and Google-managed keys—and the common trap is confusing CSEK with CMEK, since both involve customer control but only CSEK keeps keys entirely off Google’s infrastructure. For a memory tip, think “CSEK = Customer Supplies Every Key, every request, no storage.”
Google ACE Configuring access and security Practice Question
This ACE practice question tests your understanding of configuring access and security. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 healthcare company stores patient data in Cloud Storage. Compliance requires that even GCP (Google) cannot decrypt this data. The company manages encryption keys entirely on their own infrastructure. Which encryption option satisfies this?
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
Customer-Supplied Encryption Keys (CSEK) provided with each API request
Option B is correct because Customer-Supplied Encryption Keys (CSEK) allow the customer to provide their own AES-256 encryption key with each API request to Cloud Storage. Google does not store the key; it is used only in memory to encrypt/decrypt the data and then discarded, ensuring that even Google cannot access the plaintext. This meets the compliance requirement that the customer retains exclusive control over the encryption keys.
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.
- ✗
Customer-Managed Encryption Keys (CMEK) stored in Cloud KMS
Why it's wrong here
With CMEK, the key is stored in Cloud KMS (a Google-managed service). While the customer controls access to the key, Google's infrastructure hosts it — regulators may require the key to never touch Google's systems.
- ✓
Customer-Supplied Encryption Keys (CSEK) provided with each API request
Why this is correct
CSEK requires the customer to supply the encryption key with every API request. GCP uses the key transiently and never stores it — Google cannot access data without the customer providing the key each time.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Google-managed encryption keys (default) with restricted IAM policies
Why it's wrong here
Google-managed keys mean Google controls the encryption — IAM policies restrict data access for GCP customers but don't prevent Google from technically accessing the data.
- ✗
Shielded VM with confidential computing for the VMs that access the data
Why it's wrong here
Confidential VMs encrypt data in use (RAM) during computation — they don't address the Cloud Storage encryption key ownership requirement.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse CMEK with CSEK, assuming that managing keys in Cloud KMS gives the customer exclusive control, but CMEK still allows Google to access the key material via the KMS service, whereas CSEK ensures Google never stores the key.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
CSEK uses a customer-provided AES-256 key that is passed in the x-goog-encryption-key header of each Cloud Storage API request. Google's server uses this key only in volatile memory to perform encryption/decryption and immediately discards it after the operation, never persisting the key to disk. A real-world scenario is a healthcare provider subject to HIPAA or GDPR that requires zero-knowledge encryption where the cloud provider cannot access plaintext even under legal compulsion.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
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.
- →
Configuring access and security — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Configuring access and security practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All ACE questions
500 questions across all exam domains
- →
Google Associate Cloud Engineer study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
ACE practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related ACE practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Setting up a cloud solution environment practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to Setting up a cloud solution environment.
Planning and configuring a cloud solution practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to Planning and configuring a cloud solution.
Deploying and implementing a cloud solution practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to Deploying and implementing a cloud solution.
Ensuring successful operation of a cloud solution practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to Ensuring successful operation of a cloud solution.
Configuring access and security practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to Configuring access and security.
ACE fundamentals practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to ACE fundamentals.
ACE scenario practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to ACE scenario.
ACE troubleshooting practice questions
Practise ACE questions linked to ACE troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free ACE practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
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: Customer-Supplied Encryption Keys (CSEK) provided with each API request — Option B is correct because Customer-Supplied Encryption Keys (CSEK) allow the customer to provide their own AES-256 encryption key with each API request to Cloud Storage. Google does not store the key; it is used only in memory to encrypt/decrypt the data and then discarded, ensuring that even Google cannot access the plaintext. This meets the compliance requirement that the customer retains exclusive control over the encryption keys.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on ACE
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. An enterprise stores sensitive customer data in Cloud Storage. Regulatory requirements mandate that the company controls its own encryption keys — Google must not be able to decrypt data unilaterally. Which encryption configuration satisfies this?
hard- A.Google-managed encryption keys (the default)
- ✓ B.Customer-managed encryption keys (CMEK) using Cloud KMS
- C.Client-side encryption before uploading to Cloud Storage, without using Cloud KMS
- D.Shielded VM with vTPM enabled on the storage backend
Why B: Option B is correct because Customer-Managed Encryption Keys (CMEK) with Cloud KMS allow the enterprise to control and manage their own encryption keys, ensuring that Google cannot unilaterally decrypt the data. With CMEK, the encryption keys are stored in Cloud KMS under the customer's control, and Google only has access to the key material for encryption/decryption operations as authorized by the customer. This satisfies the regulatory requirement that the company retains sole control over key material, preventing Google from decrypting data without explicit permission.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.