- A
roles/storage.objectViewer on the bucket
Provides read-only access to objects, which is least privilege for reading.
- B
roles/storage.legacyBucketReader on the bucket
Why wrong: Legacy roles are not recommended and may not provide object-level read.
- C
roles/storage.objectAdmin on the bucket
Why wrong: ObjectAdmin allows full control over objects, including delete, which may be more than needed.
- D
roles/storage.admin on the project
Why wrong: This grants too broad permissions across all buckets in the project.
Question 155 of 985
PCSE Configuring Network Security Practice Question
This PCSE practice question tests your understanding of configuring network security. 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.
An engineer needs to allow a specific service account from another project to access a Cloud Storage bucket in the current project. The engineer wants to use the principle of least privilege. Which IAM role should be granted directly on the bucket to the service account?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"least"Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
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
✓
roles/storage.objectViewer on the bucket
Grant the predefined role `roles/storage.objectViewer` to the service account. This role provides read-only access to objects in the bucket.
Key principle: Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
roles/storage.objectViewer on the bucket
Why this is correct
Provides read-only access to objects, which is least privilege for reading.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
- ✗
roles/storage.legacyBucketReader on the bucket
Why it's wrong here
Legacy roles are not recommended and may not provide object-level read.
- ✗
roles/storage.objectAdmin on the bucket
Why it's wrong here
ObjectAdmin allows full control over objects, including delete, which may be more than needed.
- ✗
roles/storage.admin on the project
Why it's wrong here
This grants too broad permissions across all buckets in the project.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Authentication checks who the user is.
- Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
- Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
- AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
- Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
- Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
- Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
Key takeaway
Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
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.
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related PCSE questions on access control and AAA configuration.
- →
Configuring Network Security — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCSE question test?
Configuring Network Security — This question tests Configuring Network Security — Authentication checks who the user is..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: roles/storage.objectViewer on the bucket — Grant the predefined role `roles/storage.objectViewer` to the service account. This role provides read-only access to objects in the bucket.
What should I do if I get this PCSE question wrong?
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related PCSE questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Authentication checks who the user is.
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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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