Quick Answer
The correct answer is Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP). IAP is the right choice because it provides a centralized authentication and authorization layer for applications accessed via HTTPS, allowing you to enforce access control policies based on user identity and context without requiring a VPN or public IP exposure. It works with Cloud Load Balancing to verify user credentials before traffic reaches the Compute Engine instance, effectively securing an internal web application from the public internet. On the Google Professional Cloud Security Engineer exam, this question tests your understanding of how IAP differs from traditional perimeter security—a common trap is confusing IAP with Cloud Armor or VPC firewall rules, which control network-level traffic rather than identity-based access. Remember that IAP is about who can access, not what can connect. Memory tip: think of IAP as a bouncer checking IDs at the door, not just a locked gate.
This PCSE practice question tests your understanding of configuring access within a cloud solution environment. 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 wants to provide secure access to an internal web application hosted on Compute Engine without exposing it to the public internet. Which Google Cloud service should they use?
Cloud NAT
Why wrong: Used for outbound internet, not for inbound access control.
Cloud Storage signed URLs
Why wrong: For temporary access to storage objects, not for web applications.
Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP)
IAP authenticates users and authorizes access to applications through a secure tunnel.
Cloud Load Balancing
Why wrong: It distributes traffic but requires a public endpoint to reach the application.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP)
Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP) is the correct choice because it provides a centralized authentication and authorization layer for applications accessed via HTTPS, allowing you to enforce access control policies based on user identity and context without requiring a VPN or public IP exposure. IAP works with Cloud Load Balancing to verify user credentials before allowing traffic to reach the Compute Engine instance, effectively securing the internal web application from the public internet.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Cloud NAT
Why it's wrong here
Used for outbound internet, not for inbound access control.
Cloud Storage signed URLs
Why it's wrong here
For temporary access to storage objects, not for web applications.
Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP)
Why this is correct
IAP authenticates users and authorizes access to applications through a secure tunnel.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Cloud Load Balancing
Why it's wrong here
It distributes traffic but requires a public endpoint to reach the application.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Cloud NAT or Cloud Load Balancing as security controls, mistakenly thinking NAT hides the instance or that load balancing alone provides access control, when in fact neither authenticates users or prevents public exposure without IAP.
Detailed technical explanation
IAP leverages Google's global infrastructure and integrates with Cloud Armor for additional layer 7 filtering, using OAuth 2.0 and signed JWTs to verify user identity. Under the hood, IAP intercepts requests at the load balancer, validates the session cookie or authorization header, and only forwards traffic to the backend if the user has the required IAM role (e.g., roles/iap.httpsResourceAccessor). A subtle behavior is that IAP requires HTTPS and a managed SSL certificate; if you attempt to use HTTP, the proxy will reject the connection, which can catch engineers off guard during setup.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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FAQ
Configuring access within a cloud solution environment — This question tests Configuring access within a cloud solution environment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP) — Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP) is the correct choice because it provides a centralized authentication and authorization layer for applications accessed via HTTPS, allowing you to enforce access control policies based on user identity and context without requiring a VPN or public IP exposure. IAP works with Cloud Load Balancing to verify user credentials before allowing traffic to reach the Compute Engine instance, effectively securing the internal web application from the public internet.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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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