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 to protect their HTTP Load Balancer from DDoS attacks. They want to block requests from a specific malicious IP address range, 203.0.113.0/24. Which Cloud Armor policy configuration should they use?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create a deny rule with a source IP condition for 203.0.113.0/24 and set priority to 1000.
Option D is correct because Cloud Armor security policies use priority-based rules, where lower numbers indicate higher priority. A deny rule with priority 1000 for the specific IP range 203.0.113.0/24 ensures that traffic from that range is blocked before any lower-priority allow rules are evaluated. This is the standard method to block specific IP ranges while allowing other traffic.
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.
✗
Create an allow rule with source IP condition for their own IP ranges and rely on default deny.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: that would not block the malicious IP from other sources.
✗
Create a rule with a 'source-ip' tag set to 'malicious' and assign to the load balancer.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: no 'source-ip' tag concept.
✗
Create a deny rule with priority 1000000 for the IP range.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: higher number means lower priority, may be overridden by default allow rules.
✓
Create a deny rule with a source IP condition for 203.0.113.0/24 and set priority to 1000.
Why this is correct
Correct: deny rule blocks; priority 1000 is higher than default rules.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that higher priority numbers mean higher precedence, or that a default deny rule is automatically in place, leading candidates to choose a low-priority deny rule that would be ineffective.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cloud Armor security policies are evaluated in order of priority, from lowest number (highest priority) to highest number (lowest priority). Rules can be set to allow or deny traffic based on conditions like source IP ranges, and the default rule (priority 2147483647) is to allow all traffic unless overridden. In practice, blocking a specific IP range requires a deny rule with a priority lower than any conflicting allow rules, ensuring the block is enforced before any allow logic is applied.
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.
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: Create a deny rule with a source IP condition for 203.0.113.0/24 and set priority to 1000. — Option D is correct because Cloud Armor security policies use priority-based rules, where lower numbers indicate higher priority. A deny rule with priority 1000 for the specific IP range 203.0.113.0/24 ensures that traffic from that range is blocked before any lower-priority allow rules are evaluated. This is the standard method to block specific IP ranges while allowing other traffic.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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