Quick Answer
The answer is the Forseti Location scanner. This scanner is the correct choice because it audits Cloud Storage buckets for their configuration settings, specifically the encryption configuration that determines whether Customer-Managed Encryption Keys (CMEK) are enabled. When a bucket lacks CMEK, the Location scanner flags it by comparing the bucket’s actual encryption state against a defined policy, making it the precise tool for enforcing CMEK compliance across your storage environment. On the Google Professional Cloud Security Engineer exam, this question tests your understanding of Forseti’s modular scanner architecture—a common trap is confusing the Location scanner with the IAM scanner, which only checks permissions, not encryption settings. To remember, think of “Location” as the scanner that checks what’s *inside* the bucket’s configuration, not who has access to it.
This PCSE practice question tests your understanding of supporting compliance requirements. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 company is using Forseti for compliance automation. They need to ensure that all Cloud Storage buckets are encrypted with CMEK and that buckets without CMEK are flagged. Which Forseti scanner should they use?
IAM scanner
Why wrong: IAM scanner checks for IAM policy violations, not encryption settings.
Resource scanner
Why wrong: Resource scanner identifies resource types but does not check for compliance rules.
Bucket ACL scanner
Why wrong: Bucket ACL scanner is deprecated; use Cloud Asset Inventory or Location scanner instead.
Location scanner
Location scanner can enforce policies like 'require CMEK' on buckets.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Location scanner
The Location scanner in Forseti is designed to audit resources based on their location or configuration settings, including encryption status. For Cloud Storage buckets, it can check whether CMEK is enabled by evaluating the bucket's encryption configuration against a policy, flagging any that lack CMEK. This makes it the correct scanner for ensuring CMEK compliance.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
IAM scanner
Why it's wrong here
IAM scanner checks for IAM policy violations, not encryption settings.
Resource scanner
Why it's wrong here
Resource scanner identifies resource types but does not check for compliance rules.
Bucket ACL scanner
Why it's wrong here
Bucket ACL scanner is deprecated; use Cloud Asset Inventory or Location scanner instead.
Location scanner
Why this is correct
Location scanner can enforce policies like 'require CMEK' on buckets.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse the Location scanner's name with geographic location auditing, when in fact it audits any resource property defined in the policy library, including encryption settings.
Detailed technical explanation
Forseti's Location scanner uses policy library rules to evaluate bucket metadata, specifically the `encryption` field in the bucket's resource representation. A common rule checks if `default_kms_key_name` is set; if absent, the bucket is flagged as non-compliant. In real-world scenarios, this scanner can be combined with organization policies to enforce CMEK across all projects, preventing unencrypted data storage.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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FAQ
Supporting compliance requirements — This question tests Supporting compliance requirements — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Location scanner — The Location scanner in Forseti is designed to audit resources based on their location or configuration settings, including encryption status. For Cloud Storage buckets, it can check whether CMEK is enabled by evaluating the bucket's encryption configuration against a policy, flagging any that lack CMEK. This makes it the correct scanner for ensuring CMEK compliance.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
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