- A
Manually review adaptive protection alerts and create deny rules.
Why wrong: That is manual, not automatic.
- B
Use the 'rate limiting' rule to block high-traffic IPs.
Why wrong: Rate limiting is based on thresholds, not ML-based adaptive protection.
- C
Set up a Cloud Function to parse logs and create rules via API.
Why wrong: While possible, it is not the native approach; Cloud Armor provides auto-deploy.
- D
Enable 'auto-deploy' in the adaptive protection configuration.
Correct: Adaptive protection has an auto-deploy option that automatically creates deny rules for identified malicious IPs.
Question 625 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 uses Cloud Armor Managed Protection Plus to protect their applications. They want to automatically block IP addresses that are identified as malicious by adaptive protection. How should they configure this?
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
✓
Enable 'auto-deploy' in the adaptive protection configuration.
Cloud Armor adaptive protection uses machine learning to detect DDoS attacks. It can automatically create deny rules for malicious IPs if configured to do so. The setting is in the security policy's adaptive protection configuration.
Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Manually review adaptive protection alerts and create deny rules.
Why it's wrong here
That is manual, not automatic.
- ✗
Use the 'rate limiting' rule to block high-traffic IPs.
Why it's wrong here
Rate limiting is based on thresholds, not ML-based adaptive protection.
- ✗
Set up a Cloud Function to parse logs and create rules via API.
Why it's wrong here
While possible, it is not the native approach; Cloud Armor provides auto-deploy.
- ✓
Enable 'auto-deploy' in the adaptive protection configuration.
Why this is correct
Correct: Adaptive protection has an auto-deploy option that automatically creates deny rules for identified malicious IPs.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: ACLs stop at the first match
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Standard ACLs match source addresses.
- Extended ACLs can match source, destination, protocol and ports.
- The first matching ACL entry is used.
- There is usually an implicit deny at the end.
TExam Day Tips
- Check inbound versus outbound direction.
- Read the ACL from top to bottom.
- Look for a broader permit or deny above the intended line.
Key takeaway
ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
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. ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement. 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.
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related PCSE ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCSE question test?
Configuring Network Security — This question tests Configuring Network Security — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable 'auto-deploy' in the adaptive protection configuration. — Cloud Armor adaptive protection uses machine learning to detect DDoS attacks. It can automatically create deny rules for malicious IPs if configured to do so. The setting is in the security policy's adaptive protection configuration.
What should I do if I get this PCSE question wrong?
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related PCSE ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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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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