Google Professional Cloud Security Engineer Question 92
Select 3Google Cloud PlatformYour organization is creating a password and session management policy for user accounts in Google Cloud. As the Professional Cloud Security Engineer, you need to ensure the policy aligns with security best practices while minimizing user friction. Which of the following recommendations should be included in your policy?
- A
Require passwords to be at least 12 characters long and include a mix of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.
- B
Implement a session timeout of 30 minutes of inactivity, with the ability to extend the session by re-authenticating.
- C
Allow users to reuse their last five passwords to ensure convenience when resetting passwords.
- D
Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for all user accounts to add an extra layer of security.
- E
Require users to change their passwords every 30 days to improve security.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answers: A, B, D
Explanation
A strong password and session management policy should balance security and usability. Requiring strong, unique passwords (Option 1) protects against common attacks. Session timeouts with re-authentication (Option 2) mitigate risks of unauthorized access from inactive sessions. Enabling 2FA (Option 4) provides an additional layer of protection. Allowing password reuse (Option 3) and forcing overly frequent password changes (Option 5) are not recommended, as they compromise security and usability.
- A. Correct.
This is a recommended best practice for password strength, as it reduces the likelihood of brute-force or dictionary attacks.
- B. Correct.
Implementing a session timeout ensures that inactive sessions are automatically ended, reducing the risk of unauthorized access. Allowing re-authentication provides flexibility for users who need extended access.
- C. Incorrect.
Allowing password reuse weakens security by increasing the risk of credential compromise. Best practices recommend preventing password reuse.
- D. Correct.
Two-factor authentication (2FA) significantly enhances account security by requiring an additional verification step beyond just a password.
- E. Incorrect.
Forcing frequent password changes can lead to weaker passwords, as users may choose simpler or more predictable patterns. Modern best practices recommend focusing on password strength and additional security measures like 2FA instead.