Cloud Digital Leader Trust and security with Google Cloud Practice Question
This GCDL practice question tests your understanding of trust and security with google cloud. 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 company wants to grant a data analyst read-only access to specific BigQuery datasets, but only if the request comes from within the corporate network. Which two Google Cloud tools should they combine to enforce this?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
IAM and VPC Service Controls
IAM defines the read-only role (e.g., roles/bigquery.dataViewer) for the data analyst, while VPC Service Controls create a security perimeter that restricts access to the BigQuery API from only the corporate network IP range. Together, they ensure the request is both authorized by IAM and originates from within the allowed VPC perimeter, blocking any access from outside the corporate network even if the IAM role is granted.
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.
✓
IAM and VPC Service Controls
Why this is correct
IAM grants roles (e.g., BigQuery Data Viewer) and VPC Service Controls restrict access to the corporate network.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
IAM and Cloud IAP
Why it's wrong here
Cloud IAP secures web apps, not BigQuery APIs.
✗
Cloud Armor and IAM
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Armor is for web application firewall, not network-level access control for APIs.
✗
Organization Policies and Cloud Audit Logs
Why it's wrong here
Organization Policies set constraints but do not grant access. Audit Logs are for monitoring.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the distinction between network-level access control (VPC Service Controls) and identity-level access control (IAP), leading candidates to incorrectly pair IAM with IAP for API-based services like BigQuery.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
VPC Service Controls use context-aware access levels that can be configured with IP subnetworks (e.g., 10.0.0.0/8) to create a perimeter around BigQuery APIs. Under the hood, when a request is made, VPC Service Controls intercepts the API call at the Google Front End (GFE) and checks the source IP against the perimeter policy before the request reaches the IAM authorization layer. A real-world scenario: a company with a hybrid cloud setup can use VPC Service Controls to ensure that even if a data analyst's credentials are stolen, the attacker cannot query BigQuery from outside the corporate VPN.
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 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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this GCDL question in full detail.
Trust and security with Google Cloud — This question tests Trust and security with Google Cloud — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: IAM and VPC Service Controls — IAM defines the read-only role (e.g., roles/bigquery.dataViewer) for the data analyst, while VPC Service Controls create a security perimeter that restricts access to the BigQuery API from only the corporate network IP range. Together, they ensure the request is both authorized by IAM and originates from within the allowed VPC perimeter, blocking any access from outside the corporate network even if the IAM role is granted.
What should I do if I get this GCDL 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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Question Discussion
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