Quick Answer
The answer is Cloud Armor, which is the correct choice because it provides web application firewall (WAF) capabilities with pre-configured rules specifically designed to detect and block SQL injection attacks at the edge of Google’s network, before traffic ever reaches your backend. Cloud Armor integrates directly with the global external HTTP(S) load balancer, inspecting incoming HTTP/HTTPS requests against OWASP Top 10 signatures to filter malicious SQLi payloads in real time. On the Google Professional Cloud Network Engineer exam, this question tests your understanding of how Cloud Armor acts as a WAF for layer 7 protection, often appearing alongside distractors like Cloud CDN (which caches content but does not inspect payloads) or Cloud Firewall (which operates at layers 3 and 4). A common trap is confusing Cloud Armor with IAP or Cloud NAT, but remember: Cloud Armor is the only Google Cloud product that applies WAF rules to HTTP(S) load balancers for SQL injection defense. Memory tip: "Armor blocks the SQL sword at the edge."
This PCNE practice question tests your understanding of implementing network security. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 deploys a web application behind a global external HTTP(S) load balancer and wants to protect against SQL injection attacks. Which Google Cloud security product should they use?
Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP)
Why wrong: IAP controls access based on identity, not application attacks.
VPC firewall rules
Why wrong: Firewall rules are layer 3/4 filtering, not application layer.
Cloud IDS
Why wrong: Cloud IDS monitors network traffic for threats but doesn't filter at the application layer.
Cloud Armor
Cloud Armor provides WAF capabilities.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Cloud Armor
Cloud Armor is the correct choice because it provides web application firewall (WAF) capabilities, including pre-configured rules to filter SQL injection (SQLi) attacks at the edge of Google's network, before traffic reaches the backend. It integrates directly with the global external HTTP(S) load balancer to inspect HTTP/HTTPS requests and block malicious payloads based on OWASP Top 10 signatures.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP)
Why it's wrong here
IAP controls access based on identity, not application attacks.
VPC firewall rules
Why it's wrong here
Firewall rules are layer 3/4 filtering, not application layer.
Cloud IDS
Why it's wrong here
Cloud IDS monitors network traffic for threats but doesn't filter at the application layer.
Cloud Armor
Why this is correct
Cloud Armor provides WAF capabilities.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Google Cloud often tests the distinction between network-layer security (VPC firewall rules, Cloud IDS) and application-layer security (Cloud Armor), leading candidates to confuse IDS/IPS capabilities with WAF functionality.
Detailed technical explanation
Cloud Armor uses a rules engine that evaluates HTTP(S) requests against pre-configured or custom rules, including the OWASP ModSecurity Core Rule Set (CRS) for SQLi detection. Under the hood, it parses URI, headers, and body parameters, applying regex-based patterns (e.g., 'union select', '1=1') to identify injection attempts. In a real-world scenario, Cloud Armor can also rate-limit or geo-block traffic, making it a multi-layer defense for web applications behind the load balancer.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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
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FAQ
Implementing network security — This question tests Implementing network security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Cloud Armor — Cloud Armor is the correct choice because it provides web application firewall (WAF) capabilities, including pre-configured rules to filter SQL injection (SQLi) attacks at the edge of Google's network, before traffic reaches the backend. It integrates directly with the global external HTTP(S) load balancer to inspect HTTP/HTTPS requests and block malicious payloads based on OWASP Top 10 signatures.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
This PCNE 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 PCNE exam.
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