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Question 22 of 500

Ensuring data protection →hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The correct answer is that the service account has the Cloud KMS CryptoKey Decrypter role. This is confirmed by the log entry showing a successful decrypt action with a status of success, which directly proves the caller possessed the necessary permissions to perform the decryption. In Cloud KMS, the CryptoKey Decrypter role (roles/cloudkms.cryptoKeyDecrypter) is the minimum IAM binding required for a principal to decrypt data using a specific key, and a successful audit log entry for a decrypt operation is definitive evidence that this role was granted. On the Google Professional Cloud Security Engineer exam, this scenario tests your ability to interpret cloud KMS decryption log audit permissions, often appearing as a trap where candidates confuse the Decrypter role with the Encrypter or Viewer roles. A common memory tip is: if the log says “decrypt” and “success,” think “Decrypter role granted”—the action and status together are your proof.

PCSE Ensuring data protection Practice Question

This PCSE practice question tests your understanding of ensuring data protection. 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.

Exhibit

{
  "protoPayload": {
    "methodName": "CloudKms.Decrypt",
    "resourceName": "projects/my-project/locations/us-central1/keyRings/my-keyring/cryptoKeys/my-key/cryptoKeyVersions/3",
    "authenticationInfo": {
      "principalEmail": "service-account@project.iam.gserviceaccount.com"
    },
    "metadata": {
      "key": {
        "key_kms_keypath": "projects/my-project/locations/us-central1/keyRings/my-keyring/cryptoKeys/my-key"
      },
      "decrypt_result": {
        "success": true
      }
    }
  },
  "resource": {
    "type": "audited_resource",
    "labels": {
      "service": "cloudkms.googleapis.com",
      "method": "Decrypt"
    }
  }
}

Refer to the exhibit. An auditor notices this log entry. Which of the following is true about this event?

Question 1hardmultiple choice

Full question →

Exhibit

{
  "protoPayload": {
    "methodName": "CloudKms.Decrypt",
    "resourceName": "projects/my-project/locations/us-central1/keyRings/my-keyring/cryptoKeys/my-key/cryptoKeyVersions/3",
    "authenticationInfo": {
      "principalEmail": "service-account@project.iam.gserviceaccount.com"
    },
    "metadata": {
      "key": {
        "key_kms_keypath": "projects/my-project/locations/us-central1/keyRings/my-keyring/cryptoKeys/my-key"
      },
      "decrypt_result": {
        "success": true
      }
    }
  },
  "resource": {
    "type": "audited_resource",
    "labels": {
      "service": "cloudkms.googleapis.com",
      "method": "Decrypt"
    }
  }
}

A
The decryption operation was performed on a key version that is disabled.
Why wrong: The key version state is not provided in the log entry.
B
The service account has the Cloud KMS CryptoKey Decrypter role.
A successful decrypt operation implies the service account has the decrypter role.
C
The decryption operation failed due to insufficient permissions.
Why wrong: The `success` field is true, so the operation succeeded.
D
The service account used is impersonating a user to decrypt data.
Why wrong: No impersonation is indicated in the log.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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

✓

The service account has the Cloud KMS CryptoKey Decrypter role.

The log entry indicates a successful decryption operation ("decrypt" action with a success status). For a service account to successfully decrypt data using Cloud KMS, it must have the Cloud KMS CryptoKey Decrypter role (roles/cloudkms.cryptoKeyDecrypter) on the key. The log shows the caller is a service account, and the operation succeeded, confirming it has the necessary permissions. Option B correctly identifies this.

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.

✗
The decryption operation was performed on a key version that is disabled.
Why it's wrong here
The key version state is not provided in the log entry.
✓
The service account has the Cloud KMS CryptoKey Decrypter role.
Why this is correct
A successful decrypt operation implies the service account has the decrypter role.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The decryption operation failed due to insufficient permissions.
Why it's wrong here
The `success` field is true, so the operation succeeded.
✗
The service account used is impersonating a user to decrypt data.
Why it's wrong here
No impersonation is indicated in the log.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

Google Cloud often tests the distinction between a successful operation and a failure — candidates see 'decrypt' and assume it failed due to permissions, but the log's success status directly proves the service account had the correct role.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Cloud KMS decryption operations require the caller to have the cloudkms.cryptoKeys.decrypt permission, which is granted by the Cloud KMS CryptoKey Decrypter role. The log entry's 'authenticationInfo.principalEmail' field identifies the service account, and the 'response' field (not shown in the snippet) would contain the decrypted plaintext if successful. Under the hood, Cloud KMS uses envelope encryption: the data is encrypted with a data encryption key (DEK), which is itself encrypted with a key encryption key (KEK) stored in Cloud KMS; the decryption operation retrieves the DEK by decrypting it with the KEK.

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 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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

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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: The service account has the Cloud KMS CryptoKey Decrypter role. — The log entry indicates a successful decryption operation ("decrypt" action with a success status). For a service account to successfully decrypt data using Cloud KMS, it must have the Cloud KMS CryptoKey Decrypter role (roles/cloudkms.cryptoKeyDecrypter) on the key. The log shows the caller is a service account, and the operation succeeded, confirming it has the necessary permissions. Option B correctly identifies this.

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

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