Google Cloud Professional Cloud Security Engineer Practice Exam

Which tool provides a mechanism to manage the lifecycle of cryptographic keys effectively?

1. Cloud KMS

2. Google Cloud Armor

3. Cloud Identity

4. Google Cloud Functions

The correct answer is: Cloud KMS

Cloud KMS (Key Management Service) is specifically designed for managing cryptographic keys throughout their lifecycle. This includes the ability to create, use, rotate, and destroy keys securely. Cloud KMS provides centralized control over your cryptographic keys, allowing organizations to enforce policies regarding access and usage. The service integrates seamlessly with other Google Cloud services, making it easier to implement encryption across your environment. It also supports key rotation, which helps maintain security by regularly updating keys to mitigate the risk of compromise over time. Additionally, Cloud KMS enables automatic key rotation, ensuring compliance with security policies without requiring manual intervention. The other tools mentioned serve different purposes. Google Cloud Armor is geared towards application security by providing protection against DDoS and other web attacks. Cloud Identity specializes in managing user identities and access, ensuring that the right individuals have the proper permissions. Google Cloud Functions refers to a serverless execution environment for running code in response to events, which does not directly relate to cryptographic key management. Hence, the uniqueness of Cloud KMS in supporting the full lifecycle of cryptographic keys is what makes it the correct answer.