- A
Grant the service account the 'roles/storage.objectViewer' role on the bucket
This IAM role allows the service account to read objects.
- B
Grant the user who owns the instances the 'roles/storage.admin' role
Why wrong: This would grant bucket management to the user, not restrict access to the service account.
- C
Configure VPC Service Controls to allow access only from the VPC where the instances reside
VPC Service Controls can restrict access to Cloud Storage based on the source VPC, ensuring requests come from within the VPC.
- D
Create a bucket ACL that allows read access for the service account
Why wrong: ACLs are legacy; IAM is the preferred method.
- E
Add a firewall rule allowing ingress from the service account to the bucket's IP range
Why wrong: Firewall rules control network traffic to and from instances, not access to Cloud Storage (which is a managed service).
Google PCA Designing for Security and Compliance Practice Question
This PCA practice question tests your understanding of designing for security and compliance. 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 security team needs to restrict access to a set of Cloud Storage buckets so that only Compute Engine instances with a specific service account can read objects. Which TWO steps should they take? (Choose two.)
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
Grant the service account the 'roles/storage.objectViewer' role on the bucket
IAM permissions control who can access resources; firewall rules control network access. Both are needed for complete restriction.
Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Grant the service account the 'roles/storage.objectViewer' role on the bucket
Why this is correct
This IAM role allows the service account to read objects.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
- ✗
Grant the user who owns the instances the 'roles/storage.admin' role
Why it's wrong here
This would grant bucket management to the user, not restrict access to the service account.
- ✓
Configure VPC Service Controls to allow access only from the VPC where the instances reside
Why this is correct
VPC Service Controls can restrict access to Cloud Storage based on the source VPC, ensuring requests come from within the VPC.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
- ✗
Create a bucket ACL that allows read access for the service account
Why it's wrong here
ACLs are legacy; IAM is the preferred method.
- ✗
Add a firewall rule allowing ingress from the service account to the bucket's IP range
Why it's wrong here
Firewall rules control network traffic to and from instances, not access to Cloud Storage (which is a managed service).
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: ACLs stop at the first match
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Standard ACLs match source addresses.
- Extended ACLs can match source, destination, protocol and ports.
- The first matching ACL entry is used.
- There is usually an implicit deny at the end.
TExam Day Tips
- Check inbound versus outbound direction.
- Read the ACL from top to bottom.
- Look for a broader permit or deny above the intended line.
Key takeaway
ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
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.
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related PCA ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
- →
Designing for Security and Compliance — study guide chapter
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Designing for Security and Compliance practice questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCA question test?
Designing for Security and Compliance — This question tests Designing for Security and Compliance — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Grant the service account the 'roles/storage.objectViewer' role on the bucket — IAM permissions control who can access resources; firewall rules control network access. Both are needed for complete restriction.
What should I do if I get this PCA question wrong?
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related PCA ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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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