- A
Add a VPC firewall rule allowing HTTP from 0.0.0.0/0
Why wrong: VPC firewall rules are evaluated after hierarchical policies; the org-level deny will still block the traffic before VPC rules are considered.
- B
Remove the VM from the organization hierarchy
Why wrong: Not possible; VMs are always under an organization.
- C
Create a project-level hierarchical firewall policy with a rule allowing HTTP from 0.0.0.0/0 and a lower priority number than the org-level deny
A lower-level hierarchical policy with higher priority (lower number) can override a higher-level policy rule.
- D
Use Cloud Armor to allow the traffic
Why wrong: Cloud Armor works at the load balancer level; the traffic still passes through the VPC and is blocked by the hierarchical firewall.
Question 91 of 985
PCSE Configuring Network Security Practice Question
This PCSE practice question tests your understanding of configuring network security. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 organization has a hierarchical firewall policy at the organization level that denies all ingress traffic from the internet. A project team needs to allow HTTP traffic from the internet to a specific VM. How should they achieve this?
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 project-level hierarchical firewall policy with a rule allowing HTTP from 0.0.0.0/0 and a lower priority number than the org-level deny
Hierarchical firewall policies cannot be overridden at lower levels; they are always evaluated first. Since the org-level policy denies all internet ingress, the only way to allow HTTP is to create a hierarchical policy at a lower level (folder or project) that allows it, but those are also part of the hierarchy and are evaluated after org-level. Actually, hierarchical policies can be overridden by a lower-level policy with a higher priority, but the org-level policy has no higher priority? In GCP, hierarchical firewall policies are evaluated in order of precedence: organization > folder > project. A policy at a lower level can override a higher-level policy if it has a higher priority (lower number) and is an allow rule. So the project team can create a project-level hierarchical policy with a higher priority (e.g., 100) allowing HTTP from 0.0.0.0/0, which will override the org-level deny (priority 1000).
Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Add a VPC firewall rule allowing HTTP from 0.0.0.0/0
Why it's wrong here
VPC firewall rules are evaluated after hierarchical policies; the org-level deny will still block the traffic before VPC rules are considered.
- ✗
Remove the VM from the organization hierarchy
Why it's wrong here
Not possible; VMs are always under an organization.
- ✓
Create a project-level hierarchical firewall policy with a rule allowing HTTP from 0.0.0.0/0 and a lower priority number than the org-level deny
Why this is correct
A lower-level hierarchical policy with higher priority (lower number) can override a higher-level policy rule.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
- ✗
Use Cloud Armor to allow the traffic
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Armor works at the load balancer level; the traffic still passes through the VPC and is blocked by the hierarchical firewall.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: ACLs stop at the first match
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Standard ACLs match source addresses.
- Extended ACLs can match source, destination, protocol and ports.
- The first matching ACL entry is used.
- There is usually an implicit deny at the end.
TExam Day Tips
- Check inbound versus outbound direction.
- Read the ACL from top to bottom.
- Look for a broader permit or deny above the intended line.
Key takeaway
ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related PCSE ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
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Configuring Network Security — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCSE question test?
Configuring Network Security — This question tests Configuring Network Security — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create a project-level hierarchical firewall policy with a rule allowing HTTP from 0.0.0.0/0 and a lower priority number than the org-level deny — Hierarchical firewall policies cannot be overridden at lower levels; they are always evaluated first. Since the org-level policy denies all internet ingress, the only way to allow HTTP is to create a hierarchical policy at a lower level (folder or project) that allows it, but those are also part of the hierarchy and are evaluated after org-level. Actually, hierarchical policies can be overridden by a lower-level policy with a higher priority, but the org-level policy has no higher priority? In GCP, hierarchical firewall policies are evaluated in order of precedence: organization > folder > project. A policy at a lower level can override a higher-level policy if it has a higher priority (lower number) and is an allow rule. So the project team can create a project-level hierarchical policy with a higher priority (e.g., 100) allowing HTTP from 0.0.0.0/0, which will override the org-level deny (priority 1000).
What should I do if I get this PCSE question wrong?
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related PCSE ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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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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