- A
Use Workload Identity and grant the Kubernetes service account's associated Google service account the roles/storage.objectViewer role on the registry bucket.
Workload Identity binds pod identity to a GSA, and bucket-level IAM restricts access.
- B
Grant the Compute Engine default service account the roles/storage.objectViewer role on the registry bucket.
Why wrong: The default service account is used by all compute instances, too broad.
- C
Set an IAM policy on the pod directly using the 'gke-default' service account.
Why wrong: Pods do not have direct IAM policies; they inherit from the node or use Workload Identity.
- D
Create an IAM condition on the node pool's service account that limits access to the registry bucket.
Why wrong: Node pool service account is used by all pods on the nodes, not specific to the application.
Google PCA Design for security and compliance Practice Question
This PCA practice question tests your understanding of design for security and compliance. 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 is deploying a web application on Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) and needs to ensure that the application's service account can only pull images from a specific Container Registry repository. What is the best practice to enforce this?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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 Workload Identity and grant the Kubernetes service account's associated Google service account the roles/storage.objectViewer role on the registry bucket.
Option B is correct because Workload Identity allows you to bind a Kubernetes service account to a Google service account, and you can then grant the GSA only the roles/storage.objectViewer role on the specific registry bucket. Option A is wrong because IAM conditions on the node pool affect the nodes, not the pods. Option C is wrong because granting access at the project level is too broad. Option D is wrong because there is no direct IAM for the pod.
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 Workload Identity and grant the Kubernetes service account's associated Google service account the roles/storage.objectViewer role on the registry bucket.
Why this is correct
Workload Identity binds pod identity to a GSA, and bucket-level IAM restricts access.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Grant the Compute Engine default service account the roles/storage.objectViewer role on the registry bucket.
Why it's wrong here
The default service account is used by all compute instances, too broad.
- ✗
Set an IAM policy on the pod directly using the 'gke-default' service account.
Why it's wrong here
Pods do not have direct IAM policies; they inherit from the node or use Workload Identity.
- ✗
Create an IAM condition on the node pool's service account that limits access to the registry bucket.
Why it's wrong here
Node pool service account is used by all pods on the nodes, not specific to the application.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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 PCA exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
- →
Design for security and compliance — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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Design for security and compliance practice questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCA question test?
Design for security and compliance — This question tests Design for security and compliance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use Workload Identity and grant the Kubernetes service account's associated Google service account the roles/storage.objectViewer role on the registry bucket. — Option B is correct because Workload Identity allows you to bind a Kubernetes service account to a Google service account, and you can then grant the GSA only the roles/storage.objectViewer role on the specific registry bucket. Option A is wrong because IAM conditions on the node pool affect the nodes, not the pods. Option C is wrong because granting access at the project level is too broad. Option D is wrong because there is no direct IAM for the pod.
What should I do if I get this PCA question wrong?
Identify which PCA exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This PCA 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 PCA exam.
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