Professional Cloud Security EngineerConfiguring access within a cloud solution environmentEasy
A startup is building a new mobile application that requires user authentication. They want to leverage Google Cloud services for identity management, allowing users to sign up and sign in using email/password, social providers (Google, Facebook), and potentially add phone number authentication later. The solution needs to be scalable, secure, and integrate easily with their backend services running on Google Cloud. Which Google Cloud service is best suited for this requirement?
- AGoogle Cloud Identity
- BGoogle Cloud Directory Sync (GCDS)
- CIdentity Platform
- DWorkforce Identity Federation
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Identity Platform
Identity Platform is Google Cloud's customer identity and access management (CIAM) service. It supports various authentication methods (email/password, social, phone), is highly scalable, and integrates well with mobile and web applications, making it ideal for managing end-user identities.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Google Cloud Identity provides identity and access management for *Google Cloud users and resources* (often administrators and developers), not typically for end-users of a mobile application.
- B. GCDS is for synchronizing on-premises enterprise directories to Google Cloud, not for managing customer identities for mobile apps.
- D. Workforce Identity Federation allows *employees* to use an external IdP to access Google Cloud resources, not for managing end-user identities for a mobile application.
Google Cloud Identity Platform
A customer identity and access management (CIAM) platform that allows developers to easily add authentication and user management to their applications, supporting various identity providers.
- Supports multiple authentication methods (email/password, social, phone).
- Scalable for millions of users.
- Integrates with Firebase Authentication and other Google Cloud services.
Memory trick: Identity Platform is the 'ID card' for your 'app's customers'.