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Question 280 of 497

Designing, planning, and prototyping a GCP network →hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The final action is Deny by rule priority 2000. This is correct because Cloud Armor security policies evaluate rules in ascending priority order, meaning the lowest number is checked first. The request from IP 192.0.2.5 to path '/admin/dashboard' with origin region 'US' matches the conditions of rule 2000, which explicitly denies that combination, and since rule 1000 does not apply, the evaluation stops at rule 2000 before ever reaching rule 3000. On the Google Professional Cloud Network Engineer exam, this tests your understanding that priority numbers dictate evaluation order, not the rule action itself—a common trap is assuming a higher-priority allow rule will override a lower-numbered deny rule. Remember the mnemonic: "Lowest number, first in line; once it matches, the rest are fine."

PCNE Practice Question: Designing, planning, and prototyping a GCP network

This PCNE practice question tests your understanding of designing, planning, and prototyping a gcp network. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 configuration for Cloud Armor security policy:
{
  "name": "prod-security-policy",
  "defaultRuleAction": "allow",
  "rules": [
    {
      "priority": 1000,
      "match": {
        "expr": {
          "expression": "origin.region_code == 'CN'"
        }
      },
      "action": "deny(403)"
    },
    {
      "priority": 2000,
      "match": {
        "expr": {
          "expression": "request.path.startsWith('/admin')"
        }
      },
      "action": "deny(403)"
    },
    {
      "priority": 3000,
      "match": {
        "config": {
          "srcIpRanges": ["192.0.2.0/24"]
        },
        "versionedExpr": "SRC_IPS_V1"
      },
      "action": "deny(403)"
    }
  ]
}

A request comes from IP 192.0.2.5, with origin region code 'US', and path '/admin/dashboard'. What will be the final action?

Question 1hardmultiple choice

Read the full NAT/PAT explanation →

Exhibit

Refer to the exhibit.

JSON configuration for Cloud Armor security policy:
{
  "name": "prod-security-policy",
  "defaultRuleAction": "allow",
  "rules": [
    {
      "priority": 1000,
      "match": {
        "expr": {
          "expression": "origin.region_code == 'CN'"
        }
      },
      "action": "deny(403)"
    },
    {
      "priority": 2000,
      "match": {
        "expr": {
          "expression": "request.path.startsWith('/admin')"
        }
      },
      "action": "deny(403)"
    },
    {
      "priority": 3000,
      "match": {
        "config": {
          "srcIpRanges": ["192.0.2.0/24"]
        },
        "versionedExpr": "SRC_IPS_V1"
      },
      "action": "deny(403)"
    }
  ]
}

A
Deny by rule priority 1000.
Why wrong: Rule 1000 requires region code 'CN', which is not the case.
B
Deny by rule priority 2000.
The request path starts with '/admin', matching rule 2000.
C
Deny by rule priority 3000.
Why wrong: Rule 3000 would match as well, but rule 2000 is evaluated first.
D
Allow (default rule).
Why wrong: The request matches a deny rule before default.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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

✓

Deny by rule priority 2000.

The request matches a rule with priority 2000 that denies traffic from IP 192.0.2.5 to path '/admin/dashboard' with origin region 'US'. Since Cloud Armor security policies evaluate rules in ascending priority order, rule 2000 is evaluated before rule 3000 and after rule 1000. Rule 1000 does not match (likely a different condition), so rule 2000 applies and denies the request.

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.

✗
Deny by rule priority 1000.
Why it's wrong here
Rule 1000 requires region code 'CN', which is not the case.
✓
Deny by rule priority 2000.
Why this is correct
The request path starts with '/admin', matching rule 2000.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Deny by rule priority 3000.
Why it's wrong here
Rule 3000 would match as well, but rule 2000 is evaluated first.
✗
Allow (default rule).
Why it's wrong here
The request matches a deny rule before default.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

Google Cloud often tests the misconception that rules are evaluated in descending priority order (e.g., 3000 before 2000) or that the default rule overrides explicit deny rules, when in fact the lowest numeric priority wins and evaluation stops at the first match.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Cloud Armor security policies use a priority-based evaluation model where the lowest numeric priority (highest precedence) is evaluated first. Rules can match on multiple attributes including IP address, path, and region code (using geo-match). Once a matching rule is found, the action (allow or deny) is applied immediately, and no further rules are evaluated. This is similar to firewall rule evaluation in GCP VPC firewalls but with additional Layer 7 capabilities.

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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.

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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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this PCNE question test?

Designing, planning, and prototyping a GCP network — This question tests Designing, planning, and prototyping a GCP network — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Deny by rule priority 2000. — The request matches a rule with priority 2000 that denies traffic from IP 192.0.2.5 to path '/admin/dashboard' with origin region 'US'. Since Cloud Armor security policies evaluate rules in ascending priority order, rule 2000 is evaluated before rule 3000 and after rule 1000. Rule 1000 does not match (likely a different condition), so rule 2000 applies and denies the request.

What should I do if I get this PCNE 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.

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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026

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