The answer is that the Cloud Build service account lacks the `roles/run.admin` or `roles/run.developer` IAM role. This is the most likely cause because `gcloud run deploy` requires the `run.services.create` and `run.services.update` permissions, which are only granted through these specific roles; without them, any deployment attempt returns a 'permission denied' error. On the Google Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how Cloud Build interacts with Cloud Run through service account impersonation, and a common trap is assuming the default Compute Engine service account has sufficient permissions—it does not. The intermittent nature of the failure often misleads candidates into suspecting transient network issues, but it actually reflects a role that was added after initial failures or cached credential expiration. Memory tip: think "Run needs Run roles"—Cloud Build must be explicitly granted `roles/run.admin` or `roles/run.developer` to deploy, not just any generic permissions.
PCDOE Building and implementing CI/CD pipelines Practice Question
This PCDOE practice question tests your understanding of building and implementing ci/cd pipelines. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
Network Topology
Refer to the exhibit. A team uses this cloudbuild.yaml to deploy a service to Cloud Run. They notice that the deployment fails intermittently with a 'permission denied' error. Which is the most likely cause?
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 Cloud Build service account does not have the `roles/run.admin` or `roles/run.developer` role
The Cloud Build service account (default or custom) must have the `roles/run.admin` or `roles/run.developer` IAM role to execute `gcloud run deploy`. Without these roles, the deployment fails with a 'permission denied' error because the service account lacks the `run.services.create` and `run.services.update` permissions required to deploy or update a Cloud Run service. The intermittent nature suggests the service account may have been granted the role after some failures, or the error only surfaces when the service account's cached credentials expire.
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 image tag $SHORT_SHA is invalid because it contains a variable
Why it's wrong here
Variables are substituted correctly by Cloud Build.
✓
The Cloud Build service account does not have the `roles/run.admin` or `roles/run.developer` role
Why this is correct
These roles grant permission to deploy Cloud Run services.
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 region in the gcloud run deploy command does not match the region where Cloud Run is enabled
Why it's wrong here
The region is specified as us-central1 and is likely enabled.
✗
The Cloud Build service account does not have permission to push images to Artifact Registry
Why it's wrong here
Push succeeds, so permission is granted.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the distinction between permissions needed for different stages of a CI/CD pipeline; the trap here is that candidates assume the error is about image pushing (Artifact Registry) rather than the deployment step (Cloud Run), because both involve 'permission denied' but at different phases.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, `gcloud run deploy` uses the Cloud Run Admin API, which requires the caller to have `run.services.create` (for new services) or `run.services.update` (for existing services) permissions. These are granted via `roles/run.admin` or `roles/run.developer`. The intermittent failure can occur if the service account is using a cached access token that does not yet include the newly granted role, or if the project has organization policies that restrict the service account's permissions at runtime. In real-world scenarios, teams often forget to grant these roles to the Cloud Build service account, leading to confusing intermittent failures when the build runs under different conditions.
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.
Building and implementing CI/CD pipelines — This question tests Building and implementing CI/CD pipelines — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The Cloud Build service account does not have the `roles/run.admin` or `roles/run.developer` role — The Cloud Build service account (default or custom) must have the `roles/run.admin` or `roles/run.developer` IAM role to execute `gcloud run deploy`. Without these roles, the deployment fails with a 'permission denied' error because the service account lacks the `run.services.create` and `run.services.update` permissions required to deploy or update a Cloud Run service. The intermittent nature suggests the service account may have been granted the role after some failures, or the error only surfaces when the service account's cached credentials expire.
What should I do if I get this PCDOE 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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Question Discussion
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