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Exam Information
Official specifications published by Google
Exam Format
120 min
50-60
70%
Professional
Registration
$200 USD
Kryterion (online-proctored), Kryterion (onsite testing center), or online proctoring
English
Validity
2 years
Renewal exam available starting 60 days before certification expiration; Passing the renewal exam extends certification validity for 2 additional years
GCP-PSOE Exam Topics and Domains
GCP-PSOE is organized into 6 weighted domains. Expect to work with Google Threat Intelligence (GTI), Google SecOps, Google SecOps SOAR, BigQuery, and more.
1
Platform Operations
14%
Enhancing Detection and Response
Prioritizing telemetry sources for detectionIntegrating multiple security tools in the architectureJustifying tool selection with overlapping capabilitiesEvaluating automation and cloud-based tools for detection and response
- Prioritize telemetry sources (e.g., SCC, Google SecOps, GTI, Cloud IDS) to detect incidents or misconfigurations within an enterprise environment
- Integrate multiple tools (e.g., SCC, Google SecOps, GTI, Cloud IDS, downstream third-party system) in the security architecture to enhance detection capabilities
- Justify the use of tools with overlapping capabilities based on a set of requirements
- Evaluate the effectiveness of existing tools to identify gaps in coverage and mitigate potential threats
- Evaluate automation and cloud-based tools to enhance existing detection and response processes
Configuring Access
Configuring user and service account authenticationConfiguring authorization for feature access using IAMConfiguring authorization for data access using IAMConfiguring and analyzing audit logsConfiguring API access for automationsProvisioning identities using Workforce Identity Federation
- Configure user and service account authentication to security tools (e.g., SCC, Google SecOps)
- Configure user and service account authorization for feature access using IAM roles and permissions
- Configure user and service account authorization for data access using IAM roles and permissions
- Configure and analyze audit logs (e.g., Cloud Audit Logs, data access logs) for the solution
- Configure API access for automations within security tools (e.g., service accounts, API keys, SCC, Google SecOps, GTI)
- Provision identities using Workforce Identity Federation
2
Data Management
14%
Ingesting Logs for Security Tooling
Determining approaches for data ingestionConfiguring ingestion tools and featuresAssessing required logs for detection and responseEvaluating and configuring parsers for data ingestionEvaluating data normalization and labelingManaging log and ingestion costs
- Determine approaches for data ingestion within security tools (e.g., SCC, Google SecOps)
- Configure an ingestion tool or features within security tools (e.g., SCC, Google SecOps)
- Assess required logs for detection and response, including automated sources, within security tools (e.g., SCC Event Threat Detection, Google SecOps)
- Evaluate parsers for data ingestion in Google SecOps
- Configure parser modifications or extensions in Google SecOps
- Evaluate data normalization techniques from log sources in Google SecOps
- Evaluate new labels for data ingestion
- Manage log and ingestion costs
Identifying a Baseline of User, Asset, and Entity Context
Identifying relevant threat intelligence informationDifferentiating event and entity data log sourcesEvaluating event and entity data matches for enrichment
- Identify relevant threat intelligence information in the enterprise environment
- Differentiate event and entity data log sources (e.g., Cloud Audit Logs, Active Directory organizational context)
- Evaluate event and entity data matches for enrichment by using aliasing fields
3
Threat Hunting
19%
Performing Threat Hunting Across Environments
Developing queries to search across environment logsAnalyzing user behavior to identify anomalous activityInvestigating network, endpoints, and services for threatsCollaborating with incident response team on active threatsDeveloping hypotheses based on behavior, threat intel, posture, and incident data
- Develop queries to search across environment logs to identify anomalous activity
- Analyze user behavior to identify anomalous activity
- Investigate the network, endpoints, and services to identify threat patterns or indicators of compromise (IOCs) using Google Cloud tools (e.g., Logs Explorer, Log Analytics, BigQuery, Google SecOps)
- Collaborate with the incident response team to identify active threats in the environment
- Develop hypotheses based on behavior, threat intel, posture, and incident data (e.g., SCC, GTI)
Leveraging Threat Intelligence for Threat Hunting
Searching for IOCs within historical logsIdentifying new attack patterns in real time using threat intelligenceAnalyzing entity risk scores for anomalous behaviorPerforming retrohunt with enriched logsProactive threat searching using threat intelligence
- Search for IOCs within historical logs
- Identify new attack patterns and techniques in real time using threat intelligence and risk assessments (e.g., GTI, detection rules, SCC toxic combinations)
- Analyze entity risk score to identify anomalous behavior
- Compare and perform retrohunt of historical event data with newly enriched logs (e.g., Google SecOps rules engine, BigQuery, Cloud Logging)
- Search proactively for underlying threats using threat intelligence (e.g., GTI, detection rules)
4
Detection Engineering
22%
Developing and Implementing Mechanisms to Detect Risks and Identify Threats
Reconciling threat intelligence with user and asset activityAnalyzing logs and events to identify anomalous activityAssessing suspicious behavior using detection rules across timelinesDesigning detection rules using risk valuesDiscovering anomalous behavior and assigning risk valuesDesigning detection rules for posture and risk profile changesIdentifying new or low-prevalence indicatorsUsing entity/context data within detection rulesConfiguring SCC Event Threat Detection custom detectors
- Reconcile threat intelligence with user and asset activity
- Analyze logs and events to identify anomalous activity
- Assess suspicious behavior patterns by using detection rules and searches across various timelines
- Design detection rules that use risk values (e.g., Google SecOps reference lists) to identify threats matching risk profiles
- Discover anomalous behavior of assets or users, and assign risk values to the detections (e.g., Google SecOps Risk Analytics, curated detection rules)
- Design detection rules to discover posture or risk profile changes within the environment (e.g., SCC Security Health Analytics, SCC posture management, Google SecOps)
- Identify new or low prevalence processes, domains, and IP addresses that do not appear in threat intelligence sources using various methods (e.g., writing YARA-L rules, dashboards)
- Assess how to use entity/context data within detection rules to improve their accuracy (e.g., Google SecOps entity graph)
- Configure SCC Event Threat Detection custom detectors for IOCs
Leveraging Threat Intelligence for Detection
Scoring alerts based on IOC risk levelUsing latest IOCs to search within ingested telemetryMeasuring alert frequency to reduce false positives
- Score alerts based on the risk level of IOCs
- Use latest IOCs to search within ingested security telemetry
- Measure the frequency of repetitive alerts to identify and reduce false positives
5
Incident Response
21%
Containing and Investigating Security Incidents
Collecting evidence including forensic images and artifactsObserving and analyzing alerts related to incidentsAnalyzing scope of incidents using security toolingCollaborating with engineering teams for detection and remediationIsolating affected services and processesAnalyzing identified artifacts using forensic analysisPerforming root cause analysis
- Collect evidence on the scope of the incident, including forensic images and artifacts
- Observe and analyze alerts related to the incident using security tooling (e.g., SCC, Google SecOps)
- Analyze the scope of the incident using security tooling (e.g., Logs Explorer, Log Analytics, BigQuery, Cloud Logging, Cloud Monitoring)
- Collaborate with other engineering teams for detection and long-term remediation efforts
- Isolate affected services and processes to prevent further damage and spread of attack
- Analyze identified artifacts based on forensic analysis (e.g., Hash, IP, URL, Binaries) (GTI)
- Perform root cause analysis using security tools (e.g., SCC, Google SecOps SIEM)
Building, Implementing, and Using Response Playbooks
Determining appropriate response steps for automationPrioritizing enrichments based on threat profilesEvaluating appropriate integrations for playbooksDesigning new processes for newly identified attack patternsRecommending new orchestration and automation playbooksImplementing mechanisms to notify analysts and stakeholders
- Determine the appropriate response steps for automation
- Prioritize high-value enrichments based on threat profiles
- Evaluate appropriate integrations to be leveraged by playbooks
- Design new processes in response to newly identified attack patterns from recent incidents
- Recommend new orchestrations and automation playbooks based on gaps in the current implementation (e.g., Google SecOps SOAR)
- Implement mechanisms to notify analysts and stakeholders of incidents
Implementing the Case Management Lifecycle
Assigning cases into appropriate response stagesImplementing efficient workflows for case escalationAssessing effectiveness of case handoffs
- Assign cases into appropriate response stages
- Implement efficient workflows for case escalation
- Assess the effectiveness of case handoffs
6
Observability
10%
Developing and Maintaining Dashboards and Reports to Provide Insights
Identifying key security analyticsImplementing dashboards for security telemetry visualizationGenerating and customizing reports
- Identify key security analytics (e.g., metrics, KPIs, trends)
- Implement dashboards to visualize security telemetry, ingestion metrics, detections, alerts, and IOCs (e.g., Google SecOps SOAR, SIEM, Looker Studio)
- Generate and customize reports (e.g., Google SecOps SOAR, SIEM)
Configuring Health Monitoring and Alerting
Identifying important metrics for health monitoringCreating dashboards that centralize metricsCreating alerts with thresholds for specific metricsConfiguring notifications using Google Cloud toolsIdentifying health issues using Google Cloud toolsConfiguring silent source detection
- Identify important metrics for health monitoring and alerts
- Create dashboards that centralize metrics
- Create alerts with thresholds for specific metrics
- Configure notifications using Google Cloud tools (e.g., Cloud Monitoring)
- Identify health issues using Google Cloud tools (e.g., Cloud Logging)
- Configure silent source detection
How do I earn this certification?
Passing GCP-PSOE earns the Google Cloud Certified - Professional Security Operations Engineer certification. It sits in the Security track.
Current Level Exams
Next Level Options
Alternative Paths
- GCP-PCSE - Professional Cloud Security EngineerComplementary certification covering secure design and implementation vs operations. Together they validate end-to-end cloud security expertise.
- GCP-PCNE - Professional Cloud Network EngineerNetwork engineering skills complement security operations for network-level threat investigation.
Practice with Precision
The PlanetCert Simulator mirrors the real exam environment with authentic questions and timed pressure.
How to study for this exam?
The most effective way to prepare for GCP-PSOE is by using the PlanetCert Simulator to practice questions and review detailed explanations.
Who should take this exam?
- 3+ years of security industry experience
- 1+ year of hands-on experience using Google Cloud security tooling
- Experience with Google Security Operations (SecOps) platform
- Proficiency in writing YARA-L detection rules
- Experience with Security Command Center (SCC)
- Experience with Google Threat Intelligence (GTI)
- Understanding of SOC workflows, detection engineering, and incident response