What is GCP (Google Cloud Platform) Security?

Pre-requisite: GCP

Google when the name arrives it is known for a variety of applications such as Gmail, Drive, and Docs with cloud services. But do we ever think about how the security mechanism is worked for that? How the data is being kept intact with the security keeping in mind for about more than a billion users, you can’t bet that security is always on the mind of Google employees but Design for security is common, throughout the infrastructure for the services running on GCP. There are seven layers in the GCP security infrastructure and all are responsible for their respective mechanisms. Google keeps the data secure by applying it all into the mechanism layers from bottom to top as both server boards and the networking equipment used in Data Centers are custom-designed personally by Google inside its hood.

What is GCP Security? 

GCP security refers to the precaution taken by the users of GCP to protect their data which is stored in GCP like in Object storage, Block storage, File storage, and the application deployed in the GCP like in VPCs, etc. It mainly depends upon the Security groups and IAM. 

We can manage GCP security with the help of the following services: 

1. Security Groups: With the help of a security group we can restrict the inbound and outbound rules of a VM to our applications. 
2. Identity and access management (IAM): Identity and access management (IAM) controls the permissions of a user or groups that which resources they can access in the google cloud platform. 
3. Cloud Audit Logging: Cloud audit logging helps us to monitor the activity data from a variety of GCP resources. 

Why Google Cloud Platform Security Important?

GCP security is more important because it will protect our application data which is deployed in the GCP cloud. Reasons why GCP security is important.

1. GCP security ensures that our data and application is available even in time of disaster.
2. With the help of GCP security, we can protect the data.
3. The cost will be decreased by reducing security breaches.
4. With the help of encryption authorization and authentication, we can secure our data by using GCP.

Shared Security Responsibility in GCP

Google Cloud Platform (GCP) will follow shared security responsibilities for applications and services it offers where both Google and the customer must follow some security best practices like those mentioned below.

Google’s Responsibilities:

1. Physical and Network security was provided and taken care of by GCP.
2. Infrastructure security management like providing access and patching and updating the underlying infrastructure is taken care of by GCP.

Customer’s Responsibilities:

1. Data encryption and security for client data both in transit and at rest.
2. Administration of the customer’s resources and services’ configurations, including security options and access restrictions.

What Cloud Security Solutions Does GCP Offer?

A variety of cloud security options are provided by Google Cloud Platform (GCP) to assist clients in protecting their apps and data in the cloud. The following are some of the primary cloud security options that GCP provides:

1. Network Security: Network security includes firewalls virtual private clouds (VPCs), and network peering. Which helps organizations control the incoming traffic to the application and data.
2. Identity and Access Management (IAM): With the help of IAM we control the access and authorization of users and groups like which GCP resource can access by the specific user and group.
3. Encryption: GCP offers encryption services for both data in transit and at rest. Customer-managed encryption keys, Cloud KMS (Key Management Service), and Cloud HSM are some of these solutions (Hardware Security Module).
4. DDoS Protection: To stop and lessen attacks on customer applications and services, GCP offers DDoS protection.
5. Cloud Armor: For GCP services, Cloud Armor offers centralized visibility and control over security policies.

Enhancing Security in GCP

You can enhance GCP security by various methods. Some of them are mentioned below.

1. Utilize IAM to control access:  By using IAM we manage access to the resources that are provided by GCP.IAM can help us to grant permission to users, groups, and resources based on the roles.
2. Utilize the VPC Service Controls: By placing the application in a private cloud where we can manage all of the resources we have placed in it, VPC services enable us to regulate the incoming traffic to the application.
3. Activate MFA (multi-factor authentication): MFA will strengthen the security of our GCP account by asking the user to provide a second form of authentication like OTP or hardware token.
4. Use encryption: GCP offers a number of encryption solutions, including both at-rest and in-transit encryption. Protect your data from unauthorized access by using encryption.

Methods of Securing User Data By Google

Here are some of the ways by which Google keeps the data of users secure:

• Designing Custom Chips: Google designs its own customized hardware security chip known as Titan, which is currently deployed at both servers and peripherals. Google Titan is a chip that prevents attacks from government spies where they try to intercept hardware and introduce a firmware implant. Titan is now a part of the Google Cloud Platform to primarily secure the data of the customers. Now, these chips are also to be used in Google Pixel.
• Cryptograph Signatures: Servers run a variety of software at a single time, to ensure the right software google uses the cryptographic signature. This signature verifies that the correct software is booting. Cryptographic Signature is the key primitive that is used for message authentication, it has three fundamental characteristics namely Message Authentication, Data Integrity, and non-repudiation.
• Limiting the Access: Data Centers are designed by Google, and they ensure its development on multiple layers of physical security protections. Access to these centers is restricted and a few employees are allowed to work there. They use multiple protection layers such as metal detection, cameras, and biometrics so that security is not breached by one or other means.
• Communication Between the other services: Google’s infrastructure provides a digital signature of privacy and integrity for remote procedures called data-on-the-network, this is how the data is being transferred between the applications. There are thousands of server machines connected to a local network. This infrastructure automatically our PC’s traffic in transit between data centers.
• Hardware Encryption: Google uses hardware encryption to support end-users data. They enable hardware encryption in SSDs and other storage devices. This is how the data is kept secure at data centers. These ensure that the data used by the users is secured and vital use is been done and this is how the overall security is achieved.
• Open Development Opportunity: Google also runs a vulnerability reward program where they pay anyone who can discover and inform us of bugs in our infrastructure or applications. Google provides the source code to support open development and to notify bugs in it.
• Monitoring Websites: Google aggressively limits and actively monitors the activities of employees who are been granted administrative access to the infrastructure. To guard against phishing attacks against Google employees. Employees with administrator rights need to be specially taken care of as they can be made a threat to the organization by indirect means.
• Google Front End (GFE): As we all know that Gmail offers two-step verification for the authenticity of the user, these are applied to the cloud as well. Google services that want to make them available have to register on the Internet, they have to be on the Google Front End, which checks the incoming network connections and the certificates for best practices. GFE additionally applies protection against denial of service attacks.

What Are Some Common Security Risks in Google Cloud?

The following are some common security risks in Google Cloud any organization should be aware of:

1. Insecure APIs: The insecure APIs will make it is for attackers to access the resources in Google Cloud without authorization. You have to make sure that our resources are secured by authentication and authorized mechanisms.
2. Data Breaches: If the password is weak data breach will occur and also results in the leakage of sensitive data which may lead to financial loss and reputational damage.
3. Encryption: The data which is more sensitive must be encrypted. Lack of encryption causes exposure of data which is not good for any organization.
4. Malware and phishing attacks: Some dangers that can jeopardize the security of Google Cloud settings include malware and phishing attempts. These assaults have the potential to steal confidential data, spread malware, or seize control of cloud resources.
5. Insider Threats: Sometimes security breaches may happen because of employees or contractors it may be intentional or unintentional which will security of the environment.

To avoid the security risks that are mentioned above organizations must follow some security best practices. Such as regular maintenance of software and systems and encryption data providing limited access to the Google Cloud resources to the users.

How To Test Google Cloud Security?

1. Network Security Testing: Network security testing plays a major role in Google Cloud Security testing it will identify any potential security risks like vulnerabilities in your network infrastructure by using some tools like Nmap or Wireshark.
2. Application Security Testing: Conducting security testing on our application will help us in finding bugs that lead attackers make easy to breach security and can steal our data, It will identify the vulnerabilities by using tools like OWASO ZAP or Burp Suite.
3. Vulnerability Scanning: Conduct regular vulnerability scanning using tools such as Nessus, OpenVAS, or Qualys to identify potential security vulnerabilities in your Google Cloud environment.
4. Security Logging And Monitoring: To analyze and identify potential security issues in your Google Cloud environment, implement logging and monitoring. This can involve in-house instruments like Stackdriver Logging and Monitoring or external instruments like Splunk or LogRhythm.

Google Cloud Security testing is not a one-time process it must be with regular intervals of time. Then only we can avoid security breaches and vulnerabilities.