- A
Google is fully responsible because they host the data and control the infrastructure
Why wrong: Google secures infrastructure but not application-level access controls. If the customer's application has weak authentication or excessive IAM permissions, Google is not responsible for the resulting unauthorized access.
- B
The customer is responsible for application access controls, authentication, and IAM policies that protect data from unauthorized application-layer access, while Google secures the underlying infrastructure
This is the correct shared responsibility answer. Google secures the infrastructure layer — physical hardware, network, hypervisor. The customer must secure their application layer: who can access the application, how they authenticate, what permissions their service accounts have, and whether the application has vulnerabilities.
- C
Both Google and the customer share equal 50/50 responsibility for all data access controls
Why wrong: Responsibility is not divided equally or arbitrarily. It is divided by layer: Google owns infrastructure security; the customer owns what they build on that infrastructure, including application access controls.
- D
No one is responsible because cloud computing inherently cannot prevent unauthorized access
Why wrong: This is incorrect and irresponsible. Both parties have clearly defined security responsibilities. Unauthorized access prevention is achievable and required.
Shared Responsibility Model for Application Access
This GCDL practice question tests your understanding of trust and security with google cloud. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 has migrated sensitive customer data to Google Cloud. The legal team asks: 'If Google is hosting our data, who is responsible for ensuring that data is not improperly accessed by unauthorized users through our application?' Under the shared responsibility model, how should the CTO answer?
Quick Answer
The answer is the customer, because under the shared responsibility model for Google Cloud application access, the customer retains full control over who can reach their data through the application layer. While Google secures the physical infrastructure, network, and hypervisor, the customer must manage authentication, authorization, and IAM policies to prevent unauthorized access via the application itself. On the Google Cloud Digital Leader exam, this question tests your grasp of the security boundary: the cloud provider stops at the infrastructure, and the customer owns everything above it, including application-layer controls. A common trap is assuming Google handles all security because they host the data, but the model clearly divides responsibility—Google secures the cloud, you secure what runs in it. Remember the memory tip: “Google owns the floor and walls; you lock the doors and windows inside your app.”
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
The customer is responsible for application access controls, authentication, and IAM policies that protect data from unauthorized application-layer access, while Google secures the underlying infrastructure
Option B is correct because under the Google Cloud shared responsibility model, the customer is responsible for securing access to their application and data, including authentication, authorization, and IAM policies, while Google is responsible for the security of the underlying infrastructure (physical security, network, hypervisor). The legal team's question specifically asks about unauthorized access through the customer's application, which falls under the customer's responsibility for application-layer controls.
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.
- ✗
Google is fully responsible because they host the data and control the infrastructure
Why it's wrong here
Google secures infrastructure but not application-level access controls. If the customer's application has weak authentication or excessive IAM permissions, Google is not responsible for the resulting unauthorized access.
- ✓
The customer is responsible for application access controls, authentication, and IAM policies that protect data from unauthorized application-layer access, while Google secures the underlying infrastructure
Why this is correct
This is the correct shared responsibility answer. Google secures the infrastructure layer — physical hardware, network, hypervisor. The customer must secure their application layer: who can access the application, how they authenticate, what permissions their service accounts have, and whether the application has vulnerabilities.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Both Google and the customer share equal 50/50 responsibility for all data access controls
Why it's wrong here
Responsibility is not divided equally or arbitrarily. It is divided by layer: Google owns infrastructure security; the customer owns what they build on that infrastructure, including application access controls.
- ✗
No one is responsible because cloud computing inherently cannot prevent unauthorized access
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect and irresponsible. Both parties have clearly defined security responsibilities. Unauthorized access prevention is achievable and required.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume the cloud provider is fully responsible for all security aspects, but the shared responsibility model explicitly places application-layer access controls, authentication, and IAM on the customer, especially when the question specifies 'through our application'.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Google Cloud's shared responsibility model is defined by the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) and Google's own documentation, where the customer retains control over Identity and Access Management (IAM) roles, service accounts, and OAuth 2.0 scopes for application-layer access. For example, if a customer misconfigures an IAM policy to allow public access to a Cloud Storage bucket, Google's infrastructure remains secure, but the data is exposed due to the customer's misconfiguration. Real-world scenarios like the 2019 Capital One breach highlight that misconfigured web application firewalls (WAF) or IAM roles can lead to data exposure, even though the cloud provider's infrastructure is secure.
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.
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: The customer is responsible for application access controls, authentication, and IAM policies that protect data from unauthorized application-layer access, while Google secures the underlying infrastructure — Option B is correct because under the Google Cloud shared responsibility model, the customer is responsible for securing access to their application and data, including authentication, authorization, and IAM policies, while Google is responsible for the security of the underlying infrastructure (physical security, network, hypervisor). The legal team's question specifically asks about unauthorized access through the customer's application, which falls under the customer's responsibility for application-layer controls.
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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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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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