Google PCA Designing for Security and Compliance Practice Question
This PCA practice question tests your understanding of designing for security and compliance. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 use Binary Authorization to enforce that only images signed by their internal CI/CD pipeline can be deployed to their GKE clusters. They have set up Cloud Build to sign images. Which THREE steps are required to configure this? (Choose 3)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create an attestation for each container image using Cloud Build
To use Binary Authorization, you need to create an attestor that represents the signing authority, create an attestation (signed metadata) for each image, and create a policy that requires attestations. The policy can be cluster-specific. Granting the attestor the Cloud KMS signer role is needed to sign, but the question asks for steps to configure; storing keys in Cloud KMS is a prerequisite but not listed as a step here.
Key principle: Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Create an attestation for each container image using Cloud Build
Why this is correct
Attestations are the signed metadata proving the image was verified.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
✓
Create a Binary Authorization policy that requires attestations for the GKE cluster
Why this is correct
The policy enforces that only attested images can be deployed.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
✓
Create an attestor in Binary Authorization
Why this is correct
An attestor is needed to represent the trusted signer.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
✗
Store the signing keys in Cloud HSM
Why it's wrong here
While recommended, storing keys in HSM is not a required step for configuration; keys can be stored in Cloud KMS.
✗
Grant the GKE service account the roles/container.deployer role
Why it's wrong here
This role is for deploying, not for Binary Authorization configuration.
Common exam traps
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.
Detailed technical explanation
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.
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 PCA question in full detail.
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related PCA questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Designing for Security and Compliance — This question tests Designing for Security and Compliance — Authentication checks who the user is..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create an attestation for each container image using Cloud Build — To use Binary Authorization, you need to create an attestor that represents the signing authority, create an attestation (signed metadata) for each image, and create a policy that requires attestations. The policy can be cluster-specific. Granting the attestor the Cloud KMS signer role is needed to sign, but the question asks for steps to configure; storing keys in Cloud KMS is a prerequisite but not listed as a step here.
What should I do if I get this PCA 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 PCA questions on access control and AAA configuration.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Authentication checks who the user is.
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Question Discussion
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