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Configuring access and security →hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The answer is to apply a Kubernetes NetworkPolicy in the team’s namespace that blocks egress to the metadata server IP 169.254.169.254. This is correct because pods inherit the node’s service account by querying the Compute Engine metadata server, which exposes GCP API credentials; blocking that specific IP prevents the restricted pods from obtaining those credentials while leaving other pods on the same node unaffected, since NetworkPolicies are namespace-scoped. On the Google Associate Cloud Engineer exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how GKE pods authenticate to GCP APIs and the distinction between node-level and pod-level identity—a common trap is assuming you must change the node’s service account, which would break all pods. A key memory tip: the metadata server is the “gateway” to GCP APIs, so blocking egress to 169.254.169.254 is like cutting the phone line for only the noisy tenants.

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 GKE cluster hosts multiple teams' workloads in separate namespaces. One team's pods should not be able to make API calls to Google Cloud services (e.g., they should not call BigQuery or Cloud Storage). The pods currently use the node's service account via the Compute Engine metadata server. How do you restrict these specific pods from accessing GCP APIs while allowing other pods on the same node to continue using GCP APIs?

Question 1hardmultiple choice
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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

✓

Apply a Kubernetes NetworkPolicy in the team's namespace blocking egress to `169.254.169.254` (the metadata server).

Option A is correct because the Compute Engine metadata server (169.254.169.254) is the endpoint that provides the node's service account credentials to pods. By applying a Kubernetes NetworkPolicy that blocks egress to this IP in the team's namespace, you prevent those pods from reaching the metadata server, thus denying them access to GCP APIs. Other pods on the same node are unaffected because NetworkPolicy is namespace-scoped and does not apply to them.

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.

  • ✓

    Apply a Kubernetes NetworkPolicy in the team's namespace blocking egress to `169.254.169.254` (the metadata server).

    Why this is correct

    The GCE metadata server at 169.254.169.254 is how pods obtain GCP credentials. Blocking egress to this IP prevents those pods from getting any GCP access tokens, while other namespaces remain unaffected.

    Related concept

    Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

  • ✗

    Revoke all IAM roles from the node's service account.

    Why it's wrong here

    Revoking roles from the node SA affects all pods on the node, not just the restricted team's pods. It also breaks GKE node functionality that depends on the node SA.

  • ✗

    Set `automountServiceAccountToken: false` on the restricted team's pods.

    Why it's wrong here

    This prevents mounting the Kubernetes service account token, not the GCP node service account credentials obtained via the metadata server. GCP API access would still be available via the metadata server.

  • ✗

    Use a Kubernetes ResourceQuota to limit the team's namespace API access.

    Why it's wrong here

    ResourceQuotas limit Kubernetes resource consumption (CPU, memory, pod count), not access to GCP APIs.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

Google Cloud often tests the misconception that `automountServiceAccountToken: false` blocks all cloud API access, but it only affects the Kubernetes API token, not the Compute Engine metadata server which provides cloud credentials.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

The Compute Engine metadata server listens at the link-local address 169.254.169.254 on port 80. Pods inherit the node's service account by default because the GKE kubelet configures the metadata concealment feature, but the metadata server remains reachable. A NetworkPolicy with an egress rule denying TCP/80 to 169.254.169.254/32 effectively blocks credential retrieval. In real-world scenarios, this is critical for multi-tenant clusters where some workloads must not have access to cloud resources, and it avoids the need for separate node pools or custom service accounts per namespace.

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.

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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: Apply a Kubernetes NetworkPolicy in the team's namespace blocking egress to `169.254.169.254` (the metadata server). — Option A is correct because the Compute Engine metadata server (169.254.169.254) is the endpoint that provides the node's service account credentials to pods. By applying a Kubernetes NetworkPolicy that blocks egress to this IP in the team's namespace, you prevent those pods from reaching the metadata server, thus denying them access to GCP APIs. Other pods on the same node are unaffected because NetworkPolicy is namespace-scoped and does not apply to them.

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

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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.