GCP Professional Cloud Security Engineer: 2025 Study Resources Update

Back in late 2023 I published two posts that remain my most referenced Google Cloud certification write-ups:

• Google Cloud Certified: Professional Cloud Security Engineer exam and prep – my original exam experience.
• GCP Professional Cloud Security Engineer – Ultimate Study Resource List – the big curated reference set.

If you’re starting out, read those first. The tips and resources there are still essential.
This post is a sequel and update for 2025, focusing on what’s changed.

Exam format & focus areas in 2025

A few things stood out compared to my 2023 attempt:

• 40 questions this time (previously I saw 50). Remember: Google draws 40–60 questions from their pool, so don’t assume your exam will look identical.
• Roughly ⅓–¼ of my exam was Vertex AI–related: network security, VPC Service Controls, and private/public endpoint configurations.
• More questions around CEMK (Customer-Managed Encryption Keys) and Google Workspace security.
• Still plenty of coverage of IAM, networking, logging, and monitoring – foundational concepts remain critical. Neglect them at your peril.

Dual camera requirement

Google now enforces a dual camera setup (webcam + mobile).

This is to give the proctor a view of your screen, keyboard and hands in addition to your webcam looking at your face, to help detect/deter cheating.

In my case, my exam was suspended:

• My phone was jury-rigged as a second camera.
• It was on silent, sitting on a vase on the bed where I was sitting for the exam, but when a call came in, the vibration knocked it out of position.
• The proctor suspended the session immediately.

Humbling, but a reminder:

• Use a solid mount or tripod.
• Put your phone in Do Not Disturb, not just silent.

Once I had the camera back in position and the proctor was happy (via support chat in the exam browser), the exam was allowed to continue but pleaae note that the exam clock doesn’t stop when the exam is suspended so you could run out of time and in any case, it disrupts your flow!

Updated 2025 resources

These links build on my 2023 master list. Think of this as the extra layer for 2025, not a replacement.

IAM & Encryption

• Customer-managed encryption keys (CMEK)
• Cloud KMS key concepts

Networking & VPC Service Controls

• VPC Service Controls overview
• Enable VPC peering with VPCSC (gcloud)
• Private Services Access – supported services
• CCN distributed apps – inter-VPC connectivity
• Cloud Router – advertising custom IPs

Vertex AI & AI Security

• Vertex AI – VPC Service Controls overview
• Vertex AI – configuring separate perimeters
• Vertex AI – network security overview
• Vertex AI – public endpoint with VPCSC access level
• Vertex AI – Private Service Connect & multicloud access
• Vertex AI – custom route exports

Workspace Security

• Securing Google Workspace
• Workspace security best practices

Artifact & Supply Chain Security

• Artifact Registry – private access with VPCSC

Logging & Monitoring

• Cloud Audit Logs
• Security Command Center overview

Final thoughts

The PCSE exam is evolving:

• AI and Vertex AI security are now a first-class focus.
• Encryption (CEMK) and Workspace have more weight.
• Foundations still matter – IAM, networking, logging, and monitoring underpin everything.

My advice:

1. Start with the original 2023 resource list.
2. Layer in the 2025 additions here, especially Vertex AI and VPC Service Controls.
3. Don’t underestimate exam logistics: dual camera setup is non-negotiable now.

Good luck with your prep – and may your phone stay firmly mounted in Do Not Disturb mode!