- A
Use the gcloud compute disks create command with the --csek-key-file flag to supply the key, and do not store the key in Cloud KMS.
CSEK keys are supplied per API call and not stored by Google.
- B
Enable Cloud HSM to protect the key.
Why wrong: CSEK keys are not stored; Cloud HSM is for customer-managed keys (CMEK).
- C
Set an organization policy to prevent Google from storing keys.
Why wrong: No such organization policy exists; CSEK inherently does not store keys.
- D
Create a Cloud KMS key and use it as a CSEK.
Why wrong: CSEK is separate from Cloud KMS; mixing them is incorrect.
Question 378 of 985
PCSE Ensuring Data Protection Practice Question
This PCSE practice question tests your understanding of ensuring data protection. 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.
A company uses Customer-Supplied Encryption Keys (CSEK) for Compute Engine persistent disks. They want to ensure that Google does not store the key material. What must they do?
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
✓
Use the gcloud compute disks create command with the --csek-key-file flag to supply the key, and do not store the key in Cloud KMS.
Option A is correct because Customer-Supplied Encryption Keys (CSEK) allow you to provide your own raw AES-256 key material when creating a persistent disk. By using the `gcloud compute disks create` command with the `--csek-key-file` flag, you supply the key directly to the API, and Google uses it only in memory to encrypt the disk; it does not persist the key material on Google's infrastructure. The key file is stored locally by the customer, ensuring Google never retains the key.
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.
- ✓
Use the gcloud compute disks create command with the --csek-key-file flag to supply the key, and do not store the key in Cloud KMS.
Why this is correct
CSEK keys are supplied per API call and not stored by Google.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Enable Cloud HSM to protect the key.
Why it's wrong here
CSEK keys are not stored; Cloud HSM is for customer-managed keys (CMEK).
- ✗
Set an organization policy to prevent Google from storing keys.
Why it's wrong here
No such organization policy exists; CSEK inherently does not store keys.
- ✗
Create a Cloud KMS key and use it as a CSEK.
Why it's wrong here
CSEK is separate from Cloud KMS; mixing them is incorrect.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse CSEK with CMEK (Customer-Managed Encryption Keys) and assume Cloud KMS or Cloud HSM can be used to satisfy the 'no storage' requirement, but those services inherently store key material within Google's control.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, CSEK uses a client-supplied 256-bit AES key that is passed in the request body to the Compute Engine API. Google's infrastructure decrypts the disk's DEK (Data Encryption Key) using this customer key in transient memory, then discards the key after the operation. A subtle behavior is that if you lose the key file, you cannot decrypt the disk, as there is no backup or escrow by Google — this is a critical operational consideration for disaster recovery.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
Quick reference
Symmetric Encryption Algorithm Comparison
| Algorithm | Key Size | Block Size | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AES-128 | 128-bit | 128-bit | Current standard | NIST approved; WPA3, TLS |
| AES-256 | 256-bit | 128-bit | Current standard | Preferred for sensitive / govt data |
| 3DES | 112-bit effective | 64-bit | Deprecated (2023) | Replaced by AES |
| DES | 56-bit | 64-bit | Broken | Cracked in < 24 h; never deploy |
| ChaCha20 | 256-bit | Stream cipher | Current | TLS 1.3, WireGuard |
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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Ensuring Data Protection — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCSE question test?
Ensuring Data Protection — This question tests Ensuring Data Protection — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use the gcloud compute disks create command with the --csek-key-file flag to supply the key, and do not store the key in Cloud KMS. — Option A is correct because Customer-Supplied Encryption Keys (CSEK) allow you to provide your own raw AES-256 key material when creating a persistent disk. By using the `gcloud compute disks create` command with the `--csek-key-file` flag, you supply the key directly to the API, and Google uses it only in memory to encrypt the disk; it does not persist the key material on Google's infrastructure. The key file is stored locally by the customer, ensuring Google never retains the key.
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.
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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