- A
The log sink filter is excluding IAM policy changes.
Why wrong: Filter would affect export, but the logs in Cloud Logging would still exist for 400 days.
- B
Admin Activity audit logs are only retained for 30 days by default unless exported to a destination like Cloud Storage or BigQuery.
Why wrong: Admin Activity logs are retained for 400 days, not 30 days, for Cloud Audit Logs.
- C
IAM policy changes are logged in Data Access audit logs, which are not enabled by default.
Why wrong: IAM policy changes are logged in Admin Activity audit logs, which are enabled by default.
- D
The logs were never exported to a long-term storage destination.
Without export, Admin Activity logs are retained for 400 days, but if the request is for 6 months (180 days), it should be within retention. However, if logs are not exported and the retention is 400 days, they should be there. But if the auditor wants more than 400 days, it would be missing. The question says 'older changes' implying >400 days, so missing due to retention expiration. But export would preserve them. So B is correct because without export they are lost after 400 days.
PCSE Supporting compliance requirements Practice Question
This PCSE practice question tests your understanding of supporting compliance requirements. 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 undergoing a SOC 2 audit and needs to demonstrate that access to production data is monitored and that any changes to IAM policies are reviewed. They have enabled Cloud Audit Logs. The auditor asks for a report showing all IAM policy changes in the last 6 months. The security team notices that some older changes are missing. 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 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
The logs were never exported to a long-term storage destination.
Option D is correct because Cloud Audit Logs are retained for a limited default period (30 days for Admin Activity logs), and the question states that the company enabled Cloud Audit Logs but does not mention exporting them to a long-term destination like Cloud Storage or BigQuery. Without such an export, logs older than 30 days are automatically deleted, which explains why some IAM policy changes from the last 6 months are missing. The auditor's requirement for a 6-month report necessitates a configured log sink to a durable storage destination.
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 log sink filter is excluding IAM policy changes.
Why it's wrong here
Filter would affect export, but the logs in Cloud Logging would still exist for 400 days.
- ✗
Admin Activity audit logs are only retained for 30 days by default unless exported to a destination like Cloud Storage or BigQuery.
Why it's wrong here
Admin Activity logs are retained for 400 days, not 30 days, for Cloud Audit Logs.
- ✗
IAM policy changes are logged in Data Access audit logs, which are not enabled by default.
Why it's wrong here
IAM policy changes are logged in Admin Activity audit logs, which are enabled by default.
- ✓
The logs were never exported to a long-term storage destination.
Why this is correct
Without export, Admin Activity logs are retained for 400 days, but if the request is for 6 months (180 days), it should be within retention. However, if logs are not exported and the retention is 400 days, they should be there. But if the auditor wants more than 400 days, it would be missing. The question says 'older changes' implying >400 days, so missing due to retention expiration. But export would preserve them. So B is correct because without export they are lost after 400 days.
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 candidates often confuse the default retention of Admin Activity logs (400 days in the log viewer) with the retention in the default Logging bucket (30 days), leading them to incorrectly assume logs are automatically available for 6 months without an export sink.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In Google Cloud, Admin Activity audit logs (which include IAM policy changes) have a default retention period of 400 days, but this retention is only for logs stored in the default Logging bucket. However, the Logging bucket itself has a 30-day retention for Admin Activity logs unless a custom retention policy is applied or logs are exported via a log sink. The key nuance is that the default Logging bucket retains Admin Activity logs for 30 days, not 400 days, which is a common point of confusion. Exporting to Cloud Storage or BigQuery ensures long-term retention for compliance audits.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCSE question test?
Supporting compliance requirements — This question tests Supporting compliance requirements — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The logs were never exported to a long-term storage destination. — Option D is correct because Cloud Audit Logs are retained for a limited default period (30 days for Admin Activity logs), and the question states that the company enabled Cloud Audit Logs but does not mention exporting them to a long-term destination like Cloud Storage or BigQuery. Without such an export, logs older than 30 days are automatically deleted, which explains why some IAM policy changes from the last 6 months are missing. The auditor's requirement for a 6-month report necessitates a configured log sink to a durable storage destination.
What should I do if I get this PCSE 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.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 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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