- A
Store the sensitive data in Cloud Storage with CMEK and use external tables.
Why wrong: This adds complexity and doesn't provide native column-level encryption within BigQuery.
- B
Use BigQuery column-level security with data classification.
Why wrong: Column-level security controls access, not encryption; data is still stored in plaintext.
- C
Create a BigQuery table with CMEK enabled; it will automatically encrypt all columns.
Why wrong: CMEK encrypts the entire table at rest, not per column with different keys or granular control.
- D
Use the AEAD encryption functions in BigQuery to encrypt specific columns during query time.
AEAD functions allow column-level encryption/decryption with customer-managed keys, enabling granular control.
Question 853 of 1,000
PDE Storing the Data Practice Question
This PDE practice question tests your understanding of storing the data. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 stores sensitive data in BigQuery and needs to encrypt certain columns with customer-managed encryption keys (CMEK) while using BigQuery's analytics capabilities. What should they do?
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
✓
Use the AEAD encryption functions in BigQuery to encrypt specific columns during query time.
Option D is correct because BigQuery's AEAD encryption functions allow you to encrypt specific columns at query time using customer-managed keys, while still leveraging BigQuery's full analytics capabilities on the unencrypted portions of the data. This approach meets the requirement of encrypting certain columns with CMEK without losing the ability to run analytical queries on the rest of the table.
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.
- ✗
Store the sensitive data in Cloud Storage with CMEK and use external tables.
Why it's wrong here
This adds complexity and doesn't provide native column-level encryption within BigQuery.
- ✗
Use BigQuery column-level security with data classification.
Why it's wrong here
Column-level security controls access, not encryption; data is still stored in plaintext.
- ✗
Create a BigQuery table with CMEK enabled; it will automatically encrypt all columns.
Why it's wrong here
CMEK encrypts the entire table at rest, not per column with different keys or granular control.
- ✓
Use the AEAD encryption functions in BigQuery to encrypt specific columns during query time.
Why this is correct
AEAD functions allow column-level encryption/decryption with customer-managed keys, enabling granular control.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse table-level CMEK encryption (which encrypts all data at rest) with the ability to selectively encrypt specific columns, leading them to choose Option C, when in fact BigQuery requires using AEAD functions for column-level encryption with customer-managed keys.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
BigQuery's AEAD encryption functions (e.g., `AEAD.ENCRYPT` and `AEAD.DECRYPT`) use a customer-managed key stored in Cloud Key Management Service (KMS) to encrypt column values during query execution. The encrypted data is stored as bytes in the column, and decryption occurs transparently when the key is available, allowing analytics on other columns without performance degradation. A real-world scenario is a healthcare dataset where patient names are encrypted but diagnosis codes remain plaintext for aggregation queries.
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.
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Storing the Data — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PDE question test?
Storing the Data — This question tests Storing the Data — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use the AEAD encryption functions in BigQuery to encrypt specific columns during query time. — Option D is correct because BigQuery's AEAD encryption functions allow you to encrypt specific columns at query time using customer-managed keys, while still leveraging BigQuery's full analytics capabilities on the unencrypted portions of the data. This approach meets the requirement of encrypting certain columns with CMEK without losing the ability to run analytical queries on the rest of the table.
What should I do if I get this PDE 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: Jul 4, 2026
This PDE 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 PDE exam.
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