The answer is D: All of the above. This is correct because creating a firewall rule in Google Cloud requires the `compute.securityAdmin` role, which includes the `compute.firewalls.create` permission, or the `compute.networkAdmin` role; if a user lacks these roles or the specific permission, the API returns a permission denied error, and each of the options A, B, and C describes a valid missing prerequisite—such as not having the role at the project level, being restricted by an organization policy, or lacking the permission in a custom role. On the Google Professional Cloud Developer exam, this question tests your understanding of IAM role granularity for networking resources, and a common trap is assuming only one specific role grants firewall creation rights, when in fact both `compute.securityAdmin` and `compute.networkAdmin` include the necessary permission. A useful memory tip is to think of "firewall rule permission denied compute securityadmin" as a chain: you need the security admin role to create the rule, or the network admin role as a fallback—if either is missing, you get denied.
PCD Practice Question: Designing highly scalable, available, and reliable cloud-native applications
This PCD practice question tests your understanding of designing highly scalable, available, and reliable cloud-native applications. 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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
```json
{
"bindings": [
{
"role": "roles/compute.instanceAdmin.v1",
"members": [
"user:developer@example.com"
]
}
]
}
```
Refer to the exhibit. The user developer@example.com tries to create a firewall rule and receives a permission denied error. What is the most likely reason?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The user lacks compute.networkAdmin role
The correct answer is D: All of the above. Creating a firewall rule in Google Cloud requires the `compute.securityAdmin` role (which includes `compute.firewalls.create` permission) or the `compute.networkAdmin` role (which also includes `compute.firewalls.create` permission). If the user lacks any of these roles or the specific permission, they will receive a permission denied error. Option A, B, and C are all individually correct reasons, making D the most comprehensive and accurate choice.
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.
✓
The user lacks compute.networkAdmin role
Why this is correct
compute.networkAdmin includes firewall permissions.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
The user lacks compute.securityAdmin role
Why this is correct
compute.securityAdmin also includes firewall permissions.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
The user is missing compute.firewalls.create permission
Why this is correct
The instanceAdmin role does not include firewall create permissions.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
All of the above
Why this is correct
All three statements are correct; the user needs one of the roles or the specific permission.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that Cisco presents three individually correct statements (A, B, C) and expects candidates to pick only one, but the question is designed to test whether you recognize that all three are valid reasons for the same error, making 'All of the above' the correct answer.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In Google Cloud IAM, firewall rule creation is governed by the `compute.firewalls.create` permission, which is included in both the `compute.networkAdmin` (roles/compute.networkAdmin) and `compute.securityAdmin` (roles/compute.securityAdmin) predefined roles. The `compute.networkAdmin` role provides full control over networking resources, while `compute.securityAdmin` focuses on firewall and SSL certificate management. Under the hood, the Cloud API checks the effective IAM policy at the project, folder, or organization level, and if the user lacks the permission through any of these roles or a custom role, the API returns a 403 Forbidden error. In a real-world scenario, a user might have `compute.networkAdmin` but still fail if the firewall rule creation is restricted by organization policies or VPC Service Controls.
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 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
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.
Designing highly scalable, available, and reliable cloud-native applications — This question tests Designing highly scalable, available, and reliable cloud-native applications — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The user lacks compute.networkAdmin role — The correct answer is D: All of the above. Creating a firewall rule in Google Cloud requires the `compute.securityAdmin` role (which includes `compute.firewalls.create` permission) or the `compute.networkAdmin` role (which also includes `compute.firewalls.create` permission). If the user lacks any of these roles or the specific permission, they will receive a permission denied error. Option A, B, and C are all individually correct reasons, making D the most comprehensive and accurate choice.
What should I do if I get this PCD question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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This PCD 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 PCD exam.
Question Discussion
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