- A
Enable Cloud DLP auto-redaction on the Cloud Storage bucket via the GCS settings.
Why wrong: There is no native 'auto-redaction' setting directly on Cloud Storage buckets. DLP integration requires explicit pipeline configuration via Cloud Functions or Dataflow.
- B
Configure Pub/Sub notifications on the bucket to trigger a Cloud Function that calls Cloud DLP to redact SSNs before the file is readable.
The standard pattern: GCS object notification → Pub/Sub → Cloud Function → DLP de-identify job (with SSN infoType + redaction transformation) → store redacted result. The original file can be quarantined or deleted.
- C
Use Cloud DLP's scheduled inspection job to scan the bucket daily and flag SSNs.
Why wrong: Scheduled inspection jobs detect but don't redact data, and run on a schedule — not in real-time on upload. This leaves SSNs exposed between uploads and scans.
- D
Apply an org policy that prevents storing SSNs in Cloud Storage.
Why wrong: No org policy constraint can inspect data content or prevent storing specific data types. Content inspection requires Cloud DLP.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is to configure Pub/Sub notifications on the bucket to trigger a Cloud Function that calls Cloud DLP to redact SSNs before the file is readable. This pattern is necessary because Cloud DLP is not an inline content filter for Cloud Storage; it cannot intercept data at the moment of upload. Instead, you must use a serverless event-driven architecture where a Pub/Sub topic receives object-finalize notifications from the bucket, which then invokes a Cloud Function that calls the Cloud DLP API to inspect and redact sensitive data like Social Security Numbers before the file is fully stored or accessible. On the Google Associate Cloud Engineer exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to combine Cloud Storage triggers, Pub/Sub, Cloud Functions, and Cloud DLP into a cohesive pipeline—a common trap is assuming Cloud DLP can directly scan buckets without an intermediary. Remember the memory tip: “DLP can’t touch the bucket, so Pub/Sub must kick it.”
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.
You need to ensure that Cloud DLP scans all data uploaded to a specific Cloud Storage bucket and redacts any Social Security Numbers (SSNs) before storing the data. Which Cloud DLP feature and trigger enables this pattern?
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
Configure Pub/Sub notifications on the bucket to trigger a Cloud Function that calls Cloud DLP to redact SSNs before the file is readable.
Option B is correct because Cloud DLP cannot directly intercept and redact data at the point of upload to Cloud Storage. Instead, you must use Pub/Sub notifications on the bucket to trigger a Cloud Function, which calls the Cloud DLP API to inspect and redact SSNs before the file is stored or made readable. This pattern ensures redaction happens in near real-time as part of the upload pipeline.
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 Cloud DLP auto-redaction on the Cloud Storage bucket via the GCS settings.
Why it's wrong here
There is no native 'auto-redaction' setting directly on Cloud Storage buckets. DLP integration requires explicit pipeline configuration via Cloud Functions or Dataflow.
- ✓
Configure Pub/Sub notifications on the bucket to trigger a Cloud Function that calls Cloud DLP to redact SSNs before the file is readable.
Why this is correct
The standard pattern: GCS object notification → Pub/Sub → Cloud Function → DLP de-identify job (with SSN infoType + redaction transformation) → store redacted result. The original file can be quarantined or deleted.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use Cloud DLP's scheduled inspection job to scan the bucket daily and flag SSNs.
Why it's wrong here
Scheduled inspection jobs detect but don't redact data, and run on a schedule — not in real-time on upload. This leaves SSNs exposed between uploads and scans.
- ✗
Apply an org policy that prevents storing SSNs in Cloud Storage.
Why it's wrong here
No org policy constraint can inspect data content or prevent storing specific data types. Content inspection requires Cloud DLP.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that Cloud DLP can be directly attached to a Cloud Storage bucket for automatic redaction, but in reality, you must orchestrate the inspection and redaction via an event-driven compute service like Cloud Functions.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, this pattern uses Cloud Storage's Pub/Sub notifications for object finalize events, which publish a message containing the bucket and object details. A Cloud Function subscribes to that topic, reads the uploaded object, calls the Cloud DLP inspectConfig with infoTypes like 'US_SOCIAL_SECURITY_NUMBER', and uses the deidentifyConfig with a redact transformation to replace SSNs with a placeholder. The redacted content is then written back to the bucket, overwriting the original. A subtle behavior is that the original file is briefly visible before the Cloud Function completes, so you may need to use a staging bucket or object holds to prevent access until redaction finishes.
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.
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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: Configure Pub/Sub notifications on the bucket to trigger a Cloud Function that calls Cloud DLP to redact SSNs before the file is readable. — Option B is correct because Cloud DLP cannot directly intercept and redact data at the point of upload to Cloud Storage. Instead, you must use Pub/Sub notifications on the bucket to trigger a Cloud Function, which calls the Cloud DLP API to inspect and redact SSNs before the file is stored or made readable. This pattern ensures redaction happens in near real-time as part of the upload pipeline.
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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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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