- A
Cloud NAT and Cloud IDS
Why wrong: Cloud NAT provides outbound connectivity, and Cloud IDS is for threat detection; they do not isolate the CDE.
- B
VPC Service Controls and Cloud Armor
VPC Service Controls create a secure perimeter for the CDE, and Cloud Armor provides WAF protection against web attacks.
- C
Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP) and Cloud Storage
Why wrong: IAP controls access to applications, and Cloud Storage is for object storage; this combination does not isolate the CDE or protect the web app.
- D
Shared VPC and Cloud Load Balancing
Why wrong: Shared VPC allows resource sharing but does not isolate; Cloud Load Balancing distributes traffic but does not provide security.
Question 994 of 985
PCSE Supporting Compliance Requirements Practice Question
This PCSE practice question tests your understanding of supporting compliance requirements. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 financial institution is deploying a PCI DSS-compliant web application on Google Cloud. They need to isolate the cardholder data environment (CDE) from other environments and protect the web application against common web attacks. Which combination of services meets these requirements?
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
✓
VPC Service Controls and Cloud Armor
VPC Service Controls create a perimeter around Google Cloud resources to prevent data exfiltration. Cloud Armor is a web application firewall that protects against OWASP Top 10 attacks. Together they isolate the CDE and protect the application. Cloud IDS is for network threat detection, not isolation. Cloud NAT provides outbound internet access, not security. Cloud Load Balancing distributes traffic but does not isolate.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Cloud NAT and Cloud IDS
- ✓
VPC Service Controls and Cloud Armor
Why this is correct
VPC Service Controls create a secure perimeter for the CDE, and Cloud Armor provides WAF protection against web attacks.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- ✗
Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP) and Cloud Storage
Why it's wrong here
IAP controls access to applications, and Cloud Storage is for object storage; this combination does not isolate the CDE or protect the web app.
- ✗
Shared VPC and Cloud Load Balancing
Why it's wrong here
Shared VPC allows resource sharing but does not isolate; Cloud Load Balancing distributes traffic but does not provide security.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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.
Visual reference
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related PCSE NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
- →
Supporting Compliance Requirements — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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Supporting Compliance Requirements practice questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCSE question test?
Supporting Compliance Requirements — This question tests Supporting Compliance Requirements — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: VPC Service Controls and Cloud Armor — VPC Service Controls create a perimeter around Google Cloud resources to prevent data exfiltration. Cloud Armor is a web application firewall that protects against OWASP Top 10 attacks. Together they isolate the CDE and protect the application. Cloud IDS is for network threat detection, not isolation. Cloud NAT provides outbound internet access, not security. Cloud Load Balancing distributes traffic but does not isolate.
What should I do if I get this PCSE question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related PCSE NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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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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