- A
Set a key destruction policy to prevent accidental deletion of the key.
Why wrong: Preventing deletion is important but not directly related to rotation.
- B
Use Cloud External Key Manager (EKM) to manage the key externally.
Why wrong: EKM is not CMEK; it is separate.
- C
Create a Cloud KMS key ring and key with a rotation period of 30 days.
The key must have a rotation schedule to meet the requirement.
- D
Use a Cloud HSM key with protection level HSM to meet key storage requirements.
Why wrong: HSM is not required for rotation; software keys are sufficient unless compliance mandates hardware.
- E
Grant the Cloud Storage service account the Cloud KMS CryptoKey Encrypter/Decrypter role on the key.
The service account needs this role to use the key for encryption/decryption.
PCSE Supporting compliance requirements Practice Question
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.
Which TWO configurations are required to use Customer-Managed Encryption Keys (CMEK) with Cloud Storage to meet a compliance requirement that keys must be rotated every 30 days? (Choose two.)
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 Cloud KMS key ring and key with a rotation period of 30 days.
Option C is correct because Cloud KMS allows you to set a rotation period on a key, and when you use a CMEK with Cloud Storage, the key is used to encrypt the data encryption keys (DEKs). Setting a rotation period of 30 days ensures that the key material is automatically rotated every 30 days, meeting the compliance requirement. Option E is correct because the Cloud Storage service account must be granted the Cloud KMS CryptoKey Encrypter/Decrypter role to be authorized to use the CMEK for encrypting and decrypting objects.
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.
- ✗
Set a key destruction policy to prevent accidental deletion of the key.
Why it's wrong here
Preventing deletion is important but not directly related to rotation.
- ✗
Use Cloud External Key Manager (EKM) to manage the key externally.
Why it's wrong here
EKM is not CMEK; it is separate.
- ✓
Create a Cloud KMS key ring and key with a rotation period of 30 days.
Why this is correct
The key must have a rotation schedule to meet the requirement.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use a Cloud HSM key with protection level HSM to meet key storage requirements.
Why it's wrong here
HSM is not required for rotation; software keys are sufficient unless compliance mandates hardware.
- ✓
Grant the Cloud Storage service account the Cloud KMS CryptoKey Encrypter/Decrypter role on the key.
Why this is correct
The service account needs this role to use the key for encryption/decryption.
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 key rotation (a lifecycle policy) and key protection (HSM or destruction policies), so candidates mistakenly select options that address security or deletion prevention instead of the rotation requirement.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Cloud Storage uses envelope encryption: each object is encrypted with a unique DEK, which is then encrypted with the CMEK from Cloud KMS. The rotation period in Cloud KMS is defined at the key version level; when a key is rotated, new object writes use the latest key version, but existing objects remain encrypted with their original key version unless re-encrypted. In a real-world scenario, if the compliance requirement mandates that keys be rotated every 30 days, you must also ensure that the key's rotation period is set to 30 days and that the service account has the correct IAM role to use the key.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCSE question test?
Supporting compliance requirements — This question tests Supporting compliance requirements — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create a Cloud KMS key ring and key with a rotation period of 30 days. — Option C is correct because Cloud KMS allows you to set a rotation period on a key, and when you use a CMEK with Cloud Storage, the key is used to encrypt the data encryption keys (DEKs). Setting a rotation period of 30 days ensures that the key material is automatically rotated every 30 days, meeting the compliance requirement. Option E is correct because the Cloud Storage service account must be granted the Cloud KMS CryptoKey Encrypter/Decrypter role to be authorized to use the CMEK for encrypting and decrypting objects.
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
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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