Google Cloud Professional Cloud Security Engineer Practice Exam

What is the key benefit of using Cloud KMS for managing encryption keys?

1. Reduced storage costs

2. Centralized key management and control

3. Automatic key rotation without user intervention

4. Increased encryption speed

The correct answer is: Centralized key management and control

The key benefit of using Cloud KMS (Key Management Service) is centralized key management and control. This allows organizations to manage their encryption keys in one unified platform, providing a streamlined and consistent method for handling encryption across multiple applications and services. Centralized management enhances security by allowing administrators to establish policies, permissions, and auditing for key usage, thereby ensuring that only authorized users and applications can access sensitive data. Moreover, having all keys managed from a single service enables easier oversight and compliance with security standards and regulations. Organizations can also manage the lifecycle of their keys more effectively, as they can track their usage and implement policies for key rotation and destruction from one location. While features like automatic key rotation and potential reductions in storage costs can provide benefits, they are secondary compared to the overarching advantage of centralized control that Cloud KMS offers, which serves as a foundational component for a robust cloud security strategy.