- A
Disable uniform bucket-level access on the bucket and add an ACL entry for the VM's service account.
Why wrong: While possible, this is not a typical cross-project method and is less secure than IAM.
- B
Grant the VM's service account (from Project B) the roles/storage.objectViewer role on the bucket in Project A.
Direct role grant to the service account is valid.
- C
Grant the VM's user account the roles/storage.objectViewer role on the bucket, and have the VM use gcloud with the user's credentials.
Why wrong: Using user credentials on a VM is not a best practice due to credential lifetime and security.
- D
Use an IAM condition on the bucket that allows access only when the requester is the service account from Project B.
IAM conditions can be used to restrict access to specific identities.
- E
Provide the bucket's service account key to the VM and have the VM use that key for authentication.
Why wrong: Sharing service account keys is insecure.
Quick Answer
The answer is granting the VM's service account the roles/storage.objectViewer role on the bucket in Project A. This is correct because cross-project Cloud Storage access via IAM works by assigning an IAM role to a service account from one project directly on a resource in another project, allowing the Compute Engine VM in Project B to authenticate as that service account and read objects in Project A’s bucket without requiring shared keys or disabling uniform bucket-level access. On the Google Professional Cloud Security Engineer exam, this scenario tests your understanding of IAM-based resource delegation across projects, a common trap being that candidates mistakenly think ACLs or service account key sharing are valid alternatives. Remember that IAM conditions can further restrict access, but the core concept is that roles are granted to the service account identity, not to the VM instance itself. Memory tip: think “role on resource, not on project” — you grant the service account a role directly on the bucket, not on the source project.
PCSE Practice Question: Configuring access within a cloud solution environment
This PCSE practice question tests your understanding of configuring access within a cloud solution environment. 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.
Which TWO of the following are valid ways to grant cross-project access to a Cloud Storage bucket in Project A from a Compute Engine VM in Project B?
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
Grant the VM's service account (from Project B) the roles/storage.objectViewer role on the bucket in Project A.
Option B is correct because granting the VM's service account the roles/storage.objectViewer role on the bucket in Project A uses IAM-based cross-project access. IAM roles are the recommended method for granting access to resources across projects, as they allow a service account from one project to be granted permissions on resources in another project without needing to share keys or disable uniform bucket-level access.
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.
- ✗
Disable uniform bucket-level access on the bucket and add an ACL entry for the VM's service account.
Why it's wrong here
While possible, this is not a typical cross-project method and is less secure than IAM.
- ✓
Grant the VM's service account (from Project B) the roles/storage.objectViewer role on the bucket in Project A.
Why this is correct
Direct role grant to the service account is valid.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Grant the VM's user account the roles/storage.objectViewer role on the bucket, and have the VM use gcloud with the user's credentials.
Why it's wrong here
Using user credentials on a VM is not a best practice due to credential lifetime and security.
- ✓
Use an IAM condition on the bucket that allows access only when the requester is the service account from Project B.
Why this is correct
IAM conditions can be used to restrict access to specific identities.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Provide the bucket's service account key to the VM and have the VM use that key for authentication.
Why it's wrong here
Sharing service account keys is insecure.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that ACLs or sharing service account keys are valid cross-project access methods, when in fact IAM roles and IAM conditions are the only supported mechanisms for granting cross-project access to Cloud Storage buckets.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cross-project IAM allows a resource (like a Cloud Storage bucket) in Project A to have an IAM policy binding that includes a principal (service account) from Project B. This works because IAM is a global, project-independent authorization system; the service account's identity is recognized across projects. Under the hood, the VM authenticates with its own service account's token, and Cloud Storage checks the bucket's IAM policy, which includes that external service account principal. This avoids the need for ACLs (which are legacy and do not support cross-project principals) or sharing service account keys (which violates the principle of least privilege and creates long-lived credentials).
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
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCSE question test?
Configuring access within a cloud solution environment — This question tests Configuring access within 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: Grant the VM's service account (from Project B) the roles/storage.objectViewer role on the bucket in Project A. — Option B is correct because granting the VM's service account the roles/storage.objectViewer role on the bucket in Project A uses IAM-based cross-project access. IAM roles are the recommended method for granting access to resources across projects, as they allow a service account from one project to be granted permissions on resources in another project without needing to share keys or disable uniform bucket-level access.
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.
About these practice questions
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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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