- A
Rely on Google-managed encryption keys (default Cloud Storage encryption) and enable key rotation logs for auditing.
Why wrong: Google-managed keys do not allow customer control over key material or rotation, failing the customer-managed requirement.
- B
Create a Cloud KMS key ring and a key with rotation period 90 days. Use the key as CMEK for the Cloud Storage bucket.
This uses Cloud KMS with automatic rotation, meeting the customer-managed and rotation requirements.
- C
Configure Cloud External Key Manager (EKM) to manage the encryption key externally and have Cloud Storage use it via CMEK integration.
Why wrong: EKM is for keys held outside Google Cloud; it does not provide Google-managed automatic rotation and adds operational overhead.
- D
Use customer-supplied encryption keys (CSEK) and implement a custom Cloud Function to rotate keys every 90 days.
Why wrong: CSEK requires managing keys locally and does not support automatic rotation through Cloud KMS, leading to a more complex and error-prone process.
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 financial services company uses Cloud Storage to store sensitive customer data. They want to encrypt this data at rest using customer-managed encryption keys (CMEK) and automate key rotation every 90 days. Which approach should they take?
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
Create a Cloud KMS key ring and a key with rotation period 90 days. Use the key as CMEK for the Cloud Storage bucket.
Option B is correct because Cloud KMS allows you to create a key ring and a key with a defined rotation period of 90 days, which can then be used as a customer-managed encryption key (CMEK) for a Cloud Storage bucket. This satisfies the requirement for customer-controlled key management and automated rotation without custom code.
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.
- ✗
Rely on Google-managed encryption keys (default Cloud Storage encryption) and enable key rotation logs for auditing.
Why it's wrong here
Google-managed keys do not allow customer control over key material or rotation, failing the customer-managed requirement.
- ✓
Create a Cloud KMS key ring and a key with rotation period 90 days. Use the key as CMEK for the Cloud Storage bucket.
Why this is correct
This uses Cloud KMS with automatic rotation, meeting the customer-managed and rotation requirements.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Configure Cloud External Key Manager (EKM) to manage the encryption key externally and have Cloud Storage use it via CMEK integration.
Why it's wrong here
EKM is for keys held outside Google Cloud; it does not provide Google-managed automatic rotation and adds operational overhead.
- ✗
Use customer-supplied encryption keys (CSEK) and implement a custom Cloud Function to rotate keys every 90 days.
Why it's wrong here
CSEK requires managing keys locally and does not support automatic rotation through Cloud KMS, leading to a more complex and error-prone process.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the distinction between CMEK (customer-managed keys in Cloud KMS with automated rotation) and CSEK (customer-supplied keys per request, no rotation support), leading candidates to mistakenly choose D for its perceived control without recognizing the operational overhead and lack of native rotation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cloud KMS supports automatic key rotation by setting a rotation period on a key version; when the period elapses, a new key version is generated and used for new data encryption, while old versions remain available for decryption of existing data. CMEK integration with Cloud Storage ensures that the bucket uses the specified KMS key for all server-side encryption, and the rotation is handled transparently without any application changes. This approach also provides audit logs via Cloud Audit Logs for key usage and rotation events, meeting compliance requirements.
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 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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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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: Create a Cloud KMS key ring and a key with rotation period 90 days. Use the key as CMEK for the Cloud Storage bucket. — Option B is correct because Cloud KMS allows you to create a key ring and a key with a defined rotation period of 90 days, which can then be used as a customer-managed encryption key (CMEK) for a Cloud Storage bucket. This satisfies the requirement for customer-controlled key management and automated rotation without custom code.
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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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 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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