Service accounts for applications in GCP - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is a service account in Google Cloud Platform?

A service account is a special Google account used by applications or virtual machines to make authorized API calls. It acts like an identity for the app to access cloud resources securely.

beginner

Why should applications use service accounts instead of user accounts?

Applications use service accounts because they provide controlled, automated access to resources without needing a human user. This improves security and avoids sharing personal credentials.

intermediate

How do you assign permissions to a service account?

You assign permissions by granting roles to the service account. Roles define what actions the service account can perform on specific resources.

intermediate

What is the difference between a user-managed and a Google-managed service account?

User-managed service accounts are created and controlled by you for your applications. Google-managed service accounts are created and managed by Google for specific services to work properly.

advanced

How can you securely use a service account key in your application?

Store the service account key securely, such as in Secret Manager or environment variables, and avoid embedding it directly in code. Rotate keys regularly to reduce risk.

What does a service account represent in GCP?

A A billing account

B An application identity to access resources

C A user login for cloud console

D A network firewall rule

A service account acts as an identity for applications to access Google Cloud resources securely.

Which of the following is a best practice when using service account keys?

A Never rotate keys once created

B Embed keys directly in source code

C Share keys with all team members via email

D Store keys in a secure location like Secret Manager

Storing keys securely and rotating them regularly helps protect your application and data.

How do you control what a service account can do?

A By assigning roles with specific permissions

B By changing the service account password

C By modifying the billing account

D By updating the network firewall

Roles define the permissions a service account has on cloud resources.

Which type of service account is created and managed by Google?

A Google-managed service account

B User-managed service account

C Billing service account

D Network service account

Google-managed service accounts are created by Google to support specific services.

Why should applications avoid using user accounts for automated access?

A User accounts have no permissions

B User accounts expire too quickly

C User accounts require manual login and are less secure

D User accounts cannot access cloud resources

User accounts require manual login and sharing credentials, which is less secure for automated processes.

Explain what a service account is and why it is important for applications in Google Cloud.

Think about how apps prove who they are to Google Cloud.

Describe how you would securely manage and use service account keys in an application.

Consider how to keep keys safe and limit damage if compromised.