- A
Attach the Cloud Armor security policy to the backend service or load balancer.
Required for the policy to take effect.
- B
Enable the OWASP ModSecurity CRS preconfigured rule set.
Covers XSS, SQLi, LFI, etc.
- C
Configure IAP to restrict access to the application.
Why wrong: IAP controls authentication, not web attack filtering.
- D
Use Cloud CDN to cache static content.
Why wrong: Cloud CDN is for caching, not for security rules.
- E
Create custom rules with IP allowlists for partner IPs.
Allows specific IPs to bypass other rules.
Question 14 of 985
PCSE Configuring Network Security Practice Question
This PCSE practice question tests your understanding of configuring 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 is deploying a web application behind an external HTTPS load balancer. They want to protect against common web attacks such as XSS, SQLi, and LFI using preconfigured rules. They also need to allowlist specific IP addresses that belong to partners. Which three Cloud Armor features should they use? (Choose three.)
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
✓
Attach the Cloud Armor security policy to the backend service or load balancer.
Cloud Armor provides preconfigured WAF rules (OWASP ModSecurity CRS) for XSS, SQLi, LFI, etc. It also supports custom rules for allowlisting IPs. The correct features are: using preconfigured rule sets for OWASP CRS, creating custom rules with IP allowlisting, and then applying the policy to the load balancer. The question asks for three, so the answers are the OWASP CRS rule set, custom rules, and security policy attachment.
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.
- ✓
Attach the Cloud Armor security policy to the backend service or load balancer.
Why this is correct
Required for the policy to take effect.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Enable the OWASP ModSecurity CRS preconfigured rule set.
Why this is correct
Covers XSS, SQLi, LFI, etc.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Configure IAP to restrict access to the application.
Why it's wrong here
IAP controls authentication, not web attack filtering.
- ✗
Use Cloud CDN to cache static content.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud CDN is for caching, not for security rules.
- ✓
Create custom rules with IP allowlists for partner IPs.
Why this is correct
Allows specific IPs to bypass other rules.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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 PCSE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
- →
Configuring Network Security — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCSE question test?
Configuring Network Security — This question tests Configuring Network Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Attach the Cloud Armor security policy to the backend service or load balancer. — Cloud Armor provides preconfigured WAF rules (OWASP ModSecurity CRS) for XSS, SQLi, LFI, etc. It also supports custom rules for allowlisting IPs. The correct features are: using preconfigured rule sets for OWASP CRS, creating custom rules with IP allowlisting, and then applying the policy to the load balancer. The question asks for three, so the answers are the OWASP CRS rule set, custom rules, and security policy attachment.
What should I do if I get this PCSE question wrong?
Identify which PCSE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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: Jul 4, 2026
This PCSE 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 PCSE exam.
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