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.
An organization wants to enforce that all container images deployed to their Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) clusters are signed and have passed a vulnerability scan. Which GCP service should they use to enforce this policy?
Cloud Build
Why wrong: Cloud Build can sign images but does not enforce policies at deployment time.
Artifact Registry
Why wrong: Artifact Registry stores container images but does not enforce deployment policies.
IAM
Why wrong: IAM controls who can deploy but does not enforce image signing policies.
Binary Authorization
Binary Authorization is the correct service for enforcing attestation-based policies on container images deployed to GKE.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Binary Authorization
Binary Authorization enforces policies that require container images to be signed by trusted authorities and optionally pass vulnerability scans before deployment. Cloud Build can be used to sign images, but the enforcement is done by Binary Authorization. Artifact Registry stores images, and IAM controls access but does not enforce signing policies.
Key principle: Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Cloud Build
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Build can sign images but does not enforce policies at deployment time.
Artifact Registry
Why it's wrong here
Artifact Registry stores container images but does not enforce deployment policies.
IAM
Why it's wrong here
IAM controls who can deploy but does not enforce image signing policies.
Binary Authorization
Why this is correct
Binary Authorization is the correct service for enforcing attestation-based policies on container images deployed to GKE.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
Common exam traps
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
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.
Key takeaway
Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Real-world example
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
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 — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Designing for Security and Compliance — This question tests Designing for Security and Compliance — Authentication checks who the user is..
The correct answer is: Binary Authorization — Binary Authorization enforces policies that require container images to be signed by trusted authorities and optionally pass vulnerability scans before deployment. Cloud Build can be used to sign images, but the enforcement is done by Binary Authorization. Artifact Registry stores images, and IAM controls access but does not enforce signing policies.
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.
Authentication checks who the user is.
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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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