This PCSE practice question tests your understanding of ensuring data protection. 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.
Refer to the exhibit. A security engineer sees this configuration for a Cloud Storage bucket. What does this indicate about the encryption of objects in this bucket?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Objects are encrypted with a customer-managed key (CMEK) from Cloud KMS.
Option D is correct because the exhibit shows `kmsKeyName` set to a Cloud KMS key resource name (e.g., `projects/PROJECT_ID/locations/LOCATION/keyRings/KEY_RING/cryptoKeys/KEY_NAME`). This indicates the bucket is configured with a customer-managed encryption key (CMEK) from Cloud Key Management Service (Cloud KMS), meaning Google uses the specified key to encrypt/decrypt objects, and the customer controls key rotation and access via IAM.
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.
✗
Objects are encrypted with Google-managed keys, and the key name is the default.
Why it's wrong here
Google-managed keys do not have a `defaultKmsKeyName`.
✗
Objects are encrypted with a customer-supplied key (CSEK).
Why it's wrong here
CSEK is not indicated by a KMS key name.
✗
Objects are encrypted with an external key from an on-premises HSM.
Why it's wrong here
External keys would not be referenced via a Cloud KMS key path.
✓
Objects are encrypted with a customer-managed key (CMEK) from Cloud KMS.
Why this is correct
The `defaultKmsKeyName` field indicates CMEK.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the distinction between CMEK (persistent key reference in bucket config) and CSEK (per-request key, no stored reference), so candidates mistakenly pick CSEK when they see any mention of a custom key, ignoring that the `kmsKeyName` field is a persistent Cloud KMS resource identifier.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When `kmsKeyName` is set on a bucket, Cloud Storage uses envelope encryption: the CMEK (wrapping key) from Cloud KMS encrypts a per-object data encryption key (DEK), which then encrypts the object data. The DEK is stored alongside the object metadata. This allows the customer to control, rotate, and audit the key via Cloud KMS, and the bucket's `default_kms_key_name` applies to all new objects unless overridden per-object. Note that CMEK keys can be stored in Cloud HSM (FIPS 140-2 Level 3) but are still managed through Cloud KMS, not an external HSM.
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 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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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: Objects are encrypted with a customer-managed key (CMEK) from Cloud KMS. — Option D is correct because the exhibit shows `kmsKeyName` set to a Cloud KMS key resource name (e.g., `projects/PROJECT_ID/locations/LOCATION/keyRings/KEY_RING/cryptoKeys/KEY_NAME`). This indicates the bucket is configured with a customer-managed encryption key (CMEK) from Cloud Key Management Service (Cloud KMS), meaning Google uses the specified key to encrypt/decrypt objects, and the customer controls key rotation and access via IAM.
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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Question Discussion
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