The correct answer is that System Event audit logs record non-human administrative actions and are enabled by default, alongside Admin Activity logs which are always enabled and cannot be disabled. This is because Cloud Audit Logs are divided into three main types: Admin Activity logs track human-initiated administrative actions, System Event logs capture Google Cloud system-generated actions like automatic updates or resource creation, and Data Access logs track API calls that read or modify user data. On the Google Professional Cloud Security Engineer exam, this distinction tests your understanding of default audit log configurations and retention policies, with a common trap being that Data Access logs are disabled by default and must be explicitly enabled, while all audit logs are retained for 400 days. A useful memory tip is to remember that "Admin and System are always on, Data Access must be drawn."
PCSE Practice Question: Managing operations in a cloud solution environment
This PCSE practice question tests your understanding of managing operations in a cloud solution environment. 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.
Which TWO of the following are true regarding Cloud Audit Logs?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Admin Activity audit logs are enabled by default and cannot be disabled.
Options A and C are correct. Admin Activity audit logs are always enabled by default and cannot be disabled. System Event audit logs are also enabled but capture Google Cloud actions. Option B is incorrect because Data Access logs are disabled by default and need to be enabled. Option D is incorrect because Cloud Audit Logs do NOT include metrics, only logs. Option E is incorrect because all audit logs are retained for 400 days by default.
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.
✗
Data Access audit logs are enabled by default for all services.
Why it's wrong here
Disabled by default; must be explicitly enabled.
✓
Admin Activity audit logs are enabled by default and cannot be disabled.
Why this is correct
Default on for all projects.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Cloud Audit Logs are retained indefinitely unless a retention policy is set.
Why it's wrong here
Default retention is 400 days.
✗
Cloud Audit Logs include monitoring metrics for log volume.
Why it's wrong here
Metrics are separate, in Cloud Monitoring.
✓
System Event audit logs record non-human administrative actions and are enabled by default.
Why this is correct
They log Google Cloud actions like maintenance.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which PCSE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Managing operations in a cloud solution environment — This question tests Managing operations in a cloud solution environment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Admin Activity audit logs are enabled by default and cannot be disabled. — Options A and C are correct. Admin Activity audit logs are always enabled by default and cannot be disabled. System Event audit logs are also enabled but capture Google Cloud actions. Option B is incorrect because Data Access logs are disabled by default and need to be enabled. Option D is incorrect because Cloud Audit Logs do NOT include metrics, only logs. Option E is incorrect because all audit logs are retained for 400 days by default.
What should I do if I get this PCSE question wrong?
Identify which PCSE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A security operations team is using Cloud Audit Logs to investigate a suspicious data export from a Cloud Storage bucket. They need to see which user accessed a specific object and when. Which log type should they examine?
medium
A.Data Access logs
B.Policy Denied logs
C.System Event logs
✓ D.Admin Activity logs
Why D: Data Access logs record object-level operations on Cloud Storage. Admin Activity logs only cover configuration changes.
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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.
Question Discussion
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