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GCDL Practice Question: A company uses service accounts to allow their…
This GCDL practice question tests your understanding of a company uses service accounts to allow their…. 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 uses service accounts to allow their application running on a Compute Engine VM to access Cloud Storage. Which is the most secure way to configure this service account access?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Best answer
Attach the service account to the Compute Engine VM; the application obtains credentials automatically via the metadata server with no key files needed.
VM-attached service accounts provide credentials automatically via the GCE metadata server. No key files are created or stored. ADC discovers these credentials automatically.
B
Distractor review
Grant all users the Storage Admin role so the application can access Cloud Storage through their credentials.
Applications should use service accounts, not user credentials. Granting users Storage Admin to enable application access is a misuse of IAM and violates least privilege.
C
Distractor review
Create a shared service account key file accessible to all VMs via a Cloud Storage bucket.
Sharing a key file is a security risk — any principal with access to the bucket could use the key. VM-attached service accounts eliminate key sharing entirely.
D
Distractor review
Download the service account key JSON file and store it in the application's source code repository.
Storing credentials in source code is a critical security vulnerability — keys can be exposed via Git history, code review tools, or unauthorized access. Keys in source code should never be done.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Authentication checks who the user is.
- Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
- Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
- AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
- Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
- Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
- Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
Key takeaway
Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Related practice questions
Related GCDL practice-question pages
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More questions from this exam
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Question 1
A traditional retailer currently maintains its own data centers, purchasing servers every 3–5 years and paying for facilities, power, and staff regardless of demand. When it migrates its workloads to the public cloud, which change in cost model does it experience?
Question 2
An e-commerce company plans its infrastructure for peak shopping events (e.g., Black Friday) which drive 50× normal traffic. On-premises, they must maintain 50× capacity year-round. In the cloud, they provision 50× capacity only during peak periods. Which cloud characteristic enables this cost optimization?
Question 3
Which term describes the process by which organizations integrate digital technology into all areas of their business, fundamentally changing how they operate and deliver value to customers?
Question 4
When a company moves from maintaining its own data center to using Google Cloud, which operational responsibility does Google assume that the company previously managed?
Question 5
A hospital runs a patient records system that must remain on-premises due to strict regulatory data residency requirements. However, they also want to use cloud-based AI for diagnostic imaging analysis. Which cloud deployment model best describes their architecture?
Question 6
What is virtualization in the context of cloud computing, and why is it fundamental to how cloud providers deliver services?
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this GCDL question test?
Authentication checks who the user is.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Attach the service account to the Compute Engine VM; the application obtains credentials automatically via the metadata server with no key files needed. — Service accounts attached to Compute Engine VMs provide credentials to running applications via the GCE metadata server without any key files. The application code uses Application Default Credentials (ADC) to automatically obtain credentials from the metadata server. The service account should be granted only the specific IAM roles it needs on specific resources (least privilege). Downloading SA key files is unnecessary and creates a credential management burden.
What should I do if I get this GCDL question wrong?
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related GCDL questions on access control and AAA configuration.
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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.