- A
Use Cloud Spanner with private IP and SSL/TLS, and enable Google-managed encryption keys
Why wrong: Cloud Spanner is not optimized for typical relational web app workloads and may not meet all PCI DSS requirements easily.
- B
Use Cloud SQL with public IP and SSL/TLS, and enable Google-managed encryption keys
Why wrong: Public IP does not restrict network access to only the app tier.
- C
Use Cloud Datastore with secure WebSocket connections and enable customer-managed encryption keys
Why wrong: Cloud Datastore is NoSQL and not appropriate for relational data; WebSocket is not standard for database connections.
- D
Use Cloud SQL with private IP and SSL/TLS, and enable Cloud Key Management Service (KMS) to create a key ring and customer-managed encryption key (CMEK)
Private IP isolates the database, SSL/TLS encrypts in transit, CMEK encrypts at rest with customer-managed keys.
Quick Answer
The answer is to use Cloud SQL with private IP and SSL/TLS, combined with Cloud KMS and a customer-managed encryption key (CMEK). This combination directly satisfies PCI DSS compliance for Google Cloud database encryption because private IP restricts database access to only the application tier within the same VPC, eliminating public exposure, while SSL/TLS encrypts all data in transit between tiers. Cloud KMS with CMEK gives you full control over encryption keys for data at rest, a requirement often audited under PCI DSS. On the Google Professional Cloud Architect exam, this scenario tests your understanding of defense-in-depth for regulated workloads; a common trap is choosing Cloud SQL with public IP plus authorized networks, which still exposes the database to the internet. Remember the mnemonic "PIC" — Private IP, In-transit SSL, and Customer-managed keys — to quickly recall the three pillars of PCI-compliant database isolation and encryption.
Google PCA Design for security and compliance Practice Question
This PCA practice question tests your understanding of design 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 company is deploying a multi-tier web application on Google Cloud. The application must comply with PCI DSS. Which combination of Google Cloud services should be used to restrict access to the database tier to only the application tier, while also encrypting data at rest and in transit?
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 Cloud SQL with private IP and SSL/TLS, and enable Cloud Key Management Service (KMS) to create a key ring and customer-managed encryption key (CMEK)
Option D is correct because it meets all PCI DSS requirements: Cloud SQL with private IP ensures the database tier is not exposed to the public internet, restricting access to only the application tier within the same VPC. SSL/TLS encrypts data in transit, and using Cloud KMS with a customer-managed encryption key (CMEK) provides control over encryption keys for data at rest, which is often required for compliance.
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 Cloud Spanner with private IP and SSL/TLS, and enable Google-managed encryption keys
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Spanner is not optimized for typical relational web app workloads and may not meet all PCI DSS requirements easily.
- ✗
Use Cloud SQL with public IP and SSL/TLS, and enable Google-managed encryption keys
Why it's wrong here
Public IP does not restrict network access to only the app tier.
- ✗
Use Cloud Datastore with secure WebSocket connections and enable customer-managed encryption keys
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Datastore is NoSQL and not appropriate for relational data; WebSocket is not standard for database connections.
- ✓
Use Cloud SQL with private IP and SSL/TLS, and enable Cloud Key Management Service (KMS) to create a key ring and customer-managed encryption key (CMEK)
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume Google-managed encryption keys are sufficient for PCI DSS, but the standard often requires customer-managed keys (CMEK) to demonstrate control over key lifecycle, and they overlook that public IP (even with SSL) fails the network access restriction requirement.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cloud SQL private IP uses a VPC-native IP address within a private network, leveraging RFC 1918 addressing, and requires a VPC peering or Private Service Access connection. SSL/TLS for Cloud SQL enforces encryption using TLS 1.2 or higher, with server-side certificates validated by the client. CMEK via Cloud KMS allows you to create and manage key rings and cryptographic keys in a centralized HSM-backed service, with key rotation and access audit logging, which is critical for PCI DSS requirement 3.5 and 3.6.
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 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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Design for security and compliance — study guide chapter
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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 Cloud SQL with private IP and SSL/TLS, and enable Cloud Key Management Service (KMS) to create a key ring and customer-managed encryption key (CMEK) — Option D is correct because it meets all PCI DSS requirements: Cloud SQL with private IP ensures the database tier is not exposed to the public internet, restricting access to only the application tier within the same VPC. SSL/TLS encrypts data in transit, and using Cloud KMS with a customer-managed encryption key (CMEK) provides control over encryption keys for data at rest, which is often required for compliance.
What should I do if I get this PCA 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.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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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