- A
Use CMEK with Cloud KMS for encryption, set an Organization Policy to restrict public IPs on Cloud SQL, and configure Cloud Audit Logs with alerting via Cloud Monitoring to detect data exfiltration.
Why wrong: CMEK with Cloud KMS does not use on-prem HSM; Cloud EKM is needed. Cloud Audit Logs alone may not detect sophisticated exfiltration patterns.
- B
Use Cloud External Key Manager (EKM) for encryption, define an Organization Policy constraint to prohibit public IPs on Cloud SQL, deploy Security Command Center with Event Threat Detection to monitor for data exfiltration, and implement VPC Service Controls to limit data access.
EKM integrates with on-prem HSM; Organization Policy enforces no public IPs; SCC with Event Threat Detection detects exfiltration; VPC Service Controls prevent exfiltration.
- C
Use default encryption with Google-managed keys, set an IAM condition to deny public IP on Cloud SQL, and configure Cloud Data Loss Prevention to detect sensitive data exfiltration.
Why wrong: Default encryption does not meet the key management requirement. IAM conditions cannot prevent public IP assignment; Organization Policy is needed. DLP is for data classification, not exfiltration detection.
- D
Use Cloud HSM for encryption, create a VPC firewall rule to block all incoming traffic to Cloud SQL, and use Cloud Armor to protect against data exfiltration.
Why wrong: Cloud HSM does not use on-prem HSM. VPC firewall rule does not prevent public IP creation. Cloud Armor is for web attacks, not data exfiltration.
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. 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 runs its critical application on Google Cloud. The application uses Cloud SQL for patient records, Cloud Storage for medical images, and Pub/Sub for data ingestion. The security team requires that all data at rest be encrypted with a key that is managed and rotated by their on-premises HSM. They also need to ensure that any potential data exfiltration is immediately detected and prevented. Recently, a vulnerability scan revealed that a Cloud SQL instance had a public IP. The team wants to enforce that no Cloud SQL instance can be created with a public IP across the entire organization. Additionally, they need to implement a solution to monitor and alert on any suspicious activity, such as a large download from Cloud Storage. They have a limited budget and cannot afford complex custom solutions. Which combination of Google Cloud services should they use to meet these requirements?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"immediately / without restart"Why it matters: Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
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
Use Cloud External Key Manager (EKM) for encryption, define an Organization Policy constraint to prohibit public IPs on Cloud SQL, deploy Security Command Center with Event Threat Detection to monitor for data exfiltration, and implement VPC Service Controls to limit data access.
Option B is correct because Cloud External Key Manager (EKM) allows you to use an external key management system (on-premises HSM) for encrypting data at rest in Google Cloud services like Cloud SQL, Cloud Storage, and Pub/Sub. The Organization Policy constraint `constraints/sql.restrictPublicIp` can enforce that no Cloud SQL instance is created with a public IP. Security Command Center with Event Threat Detection provides out-of-the-box monitoring and alerting for suspicious activities like large downloads from Cloud Storage, while VPC Service Controls adds a data exfiltration prevention layer by restricting data movement outside a defined service perimeter.
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.
- ✗
Use CMEK with Cloud KMS for encryption, set an Organization Policy to restrict public IPs on Cloud SQL, and configure Cloud Audit Logs with alerting via Cloud Monitoring to detect data exfiltration.
Why it's wrong here
CMEK with Cloud KMS does not use on-prem HSM; Cloud EKM is needed. Cloud Audit Logs alone may not detect sophisticated exfiltration patterns.
- ✓
Use Cloud External Key Manager (EKM) for encryption, define an Organization Policy constraint to prohibit public IPs on Cloud SQL, deploy Security Command Center with Event Threat Detection to monitor for data exfiltration, and implement VPC Service Controls to limit data access.
Why this is correct
EKM integrates with on-prem HSM; Organization Policy enforces no public IPs; SCC with Event Threat Detection detects exfiltration; VPC Service Controls prevent exfiltration.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "immediately / without restart" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use default encryption with Google-managed keys, set an IAM condition to deny public IP on Cloud SQL, and configure Cloud Data Loss Prevention to detect sensitive data exfiltration.
Why it's wrong here
Default encryption does not meet the key management requirement. IAM conditions cannot prevent public IP assignment; Organization Policy is needed. DLP is for data classification, not exfiltration detection.
- ✗
Use Cloud HSM for encryption, create a VPC firewall rule to block all incoming traffic to Cloud SQL, and use Cloud Armor to protect against data exfiltration.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud HSM does not use on-prem HSM. VPC firewall rule does not prevent public IP creation. Cloud Armor is for web attacks, not data exfiltration.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the distinction between key management options (CMEK vs. EKM vs. Cloud HSM) and the difference between detection (Cloud Audit Logs, Event Threat Detection) and prevention (VPC Service Controls), leading candidates to choose a solution that only detects but does not prevent data exfiltration.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cloud External Key Manager (EKM) uses the `google.cloud.kms.v1.KeyManagementService` API to wrap and unwrap data encryption keys (DEKs) using a key hosted on an external key management system via a supported partner (e.g., Fortanix, Thales). The Organization Policy constraint `constraints/sql.restrictPublicIp` is a list constraint that, when set to `Deny All`, prevents any Cloud SQL instance from being created with a public IP address. VPC Service Controls uses service perimeters to define a trusted zone, and any attempt to copy data from a protected service (like Cloud Storage) to a resource outside the perimeter is blocked at the Google Cloud edge, providing a strong exfiltration prevention mechanism.
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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Trust and security with Google Cloud — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this GCDL question test?
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: Use Cloud External Key Manager (EKM) for encryption, define an Organization Policy constraint to prohibit public IPs on Cloud SQL, deploy Security Command Center with Event Threat Detection to monitor for data exfiltration, and implement VPC Service Controls to limit data access. — Option B is correct because Cloud External Key Manager (EKM) allows you to use an external key management system (on-premises HSM) for encrypting data at rest in Google Cloud services like Cloud SQL, Cloud Storage, and Pub/Sub. The Organization Policy constraint `constraints/sql.restrictPublicIp` can enforce that no Cloud SQL instance is created with a public IP. Security Command Center with Event Threat Detection provides out-of-the-box monitoring and alerting for suspicious activities like large downloads from Cloud Storage, while VPC Service Controls adds a data exfiltration prevention layer by restricting data movement outside a defined service perimeter.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "immediately / without restart". Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
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 GCDL 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 GCDL exam.
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