- A
Enable Uniform Bucket-Level Access (UBLA) on the bucket
UBLA disables object ACLs and enforces IAM-only access control — simplifying the permission model to bucket-level IAM policies for all objects.
- B
Delete all ACLs on each object and set them to 'authenticated-read'
Why wrong: Deleting ACLs and setting them to `authenticated-read` doesn't disable ACL evaluation — UBLA is required to switch to pure IAM-based access control.
- C
Enable VPC Service Controls on the bucket
Why wrong: VPC Service Controls protect GCP services from data exfiltration at the API level — they don't change the ACL vs. IAM access control model for a Cloud Storage bucket.
- D
Set the bucket's default object ACL to `projectPrivate` and apply it to all objects
Why wrong: `projectPrivate` is an ACL preset — it doesn't eliminate ACL evaluation. UBLA is the setting that disables ACLs.
Quick Answer
The answer is to enable Uniform Bucket-Level Access (UBLA) on the bucket. This is correct because UBLA disables all object-level ACLs, forcing Cloud Storage to evaluate only IAM policies for access decisions, thereby switching from the fine-grained ACL model to a simpler, bucket-level IAM-only control. On the Google Associate Cloud Engineer exam, this tests your understanding of access control migration and the trade-off between granularity and manageability; a common trap is assuming you can mix ACLs with IAM after enabling UBLA, but in reality, UBLA explicitly ignores existing ACLs. Remember the memory tip: “UBLA unifies control at the bucket level, leaving ACLs behind” — if you see a scenario about simplifying permissions or removing object-level complexity, think Uniform Bucket-Level Access first.
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 team's Cloud Storage bucket has fine-grained access control (ACLs) enabled. They want to switch to a simpler model where IAM policies alone control access, and object-level ACLs are ignored. What should they enable?
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
Enable Uniform Bucket-Level Access (UBLA) on the bucket
Option A is correct because enabling Uniform Bucket-Level Access (UBLA) on the bucket disables object-level ACLs and enforces IAM policies as the sole access control mechanism. This simplifies management by ignoring any existing ACLs on objects, ensuring that only bucket-level IAM permissions are evaluated for access decisions.
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 Uniform Bucket-Level Access (UBLA) on the bucket
Why this is correct
UBLA disables object ACLs and enforces IAM-only access control — simplifying the permission model to bucket-level IAM policies for all objects.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Delete all ACLs on each object and set them to 'authenticated-read'
Why it's wrong here
Deleting ACLs and setting them to `authenticated-read` doesn't disable ACL evaluation — UBLA is required to switch to pure IAM-based access control.
- ✗
Enable VPC Service Controls on the bucket
Why it's wrong here
VPC Service Controls protect GCP services from data exfiltration at the API level — they don't change the ACL vs. IAM access control model for a Cloud Storage bucket.
- ✗
Set the bucket's default object ACL to `projectPrivate` and apply it to all objects
Why it's wrong here
`projectPrivate` is an ACL preset — it doesn't eliminate ACL evaluation. UBLA is the setting that disables ACLs.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the distinction between modifying ACLs (which does not change the access control model) and enabling UBLA (which fundamentally switches the model), so candidates may incorrectly think that deleting ACLs or changing default ACLs is sufficient to ignore object-level ACLs.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When UBLA is enabled on a bucket, the bucket's IAM policy becomes the sole access control mechanism, and any existing object ACLs are ignored for access decisions. This is enforced at the storage layer by the Google Cloud Storage backend, which checks the bucket's IAM policy before evaluating any object ACLs. In a real-world scenario, migrating from fine-grained to uniform access requires ensuring that all IAM permissions are correctly set before enabling UBLA, as any object-level ACLs that were previously granting broader access will be silently ignored.
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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Configuring access and security — study guide chapter
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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: Enable Uniform Bucket-Level Access (UBLA) on the bucket — Option A is correct because enabling Uniform Bucket-Level Access (UBLA) on the bucket disables object-level ACLs and enforces IAM policies as the sole access control mechanism. This simplifies management by ignoring any existing ACLs on objects, ensuring that only bucket-level IAM permissions are evaluated for access decisions.
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
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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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