Google CloudOverview
Google Cloud encrypts data at-rest and in-transit, but customer data must be decrypted for processing. Confidential Computing is a breakthrough technology which encrypts data in-use while it is being processed. Confidential Computing environments keep data encrypted in memory and elsewhere outside the central processing unit (CPU).
Confidential VMs leverage the Secure Encrypted Virtualization (SEV) feature of AMD EPYC™ CPUs. Customer data will stay encrypted while it is used, indexed, queried, or trained on. Encryption keys are generated in hardware, per VM, and not exportable. Thanks to built-in hardware optimizations of both performance and security, there is no significant performance penalty to Confidential Computing workloads.
Rationale
Confidential Computing enables customers' sensitive code and other data encrypted in memory during processing. Google does not have access to the encryption keys. Confidential VM can help alleviate concerns about risk related to either dependency on Google infrastructure or Google insiders' access to customer data in the clear.
Impact
• Confidential Computing for Compute instances does not support live migration. Unlike regular Compute instances, Confidential VMs experience disruptions during maintenance events like a software or hardware update. • Additional charges may be incurred when enabling this security feature. See https://cloud.google.com/compute/confidential-vm/pricing for more info.
Remediation guidance
From Google Cloud Console
- Go to the
VM instancespage by visiting: https://console.cloud.google.com/compute/instances - Click
CREATE INSTANCE - Fill out the desired configuration for your instance
- Under the
Confidential VM servicesection, selectENABLEand then againENABLE - Click
Create.
Using Google Cloud CLI
Create a new instance with Confidential Compute enabled.
gcloud compute instances create <instanceName> --zone <zone> --confidential-compute --maintenance-policy=TERMINATE
Default value
By default, Confidential Computing is disabled for Compute instances.
References
- https://cloud.google.com/compute/confidential-vm/docs/creating-cvm-instance
- https://cloud.google.com/compute/confidential-vm/docs/about-cvm
- https://cloud.google.com/confidential-computing
- https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/identity-security/introducing-google-cloud-confidential-computing-with-confidential-vms
Service-wide remediation
Recommended when many resources are affected: fix the platform baseline first so new resources inherit the secure setting, then remediate the existing flagged resources in batches.
Google Cloud
Use organization or folder policies where available, shared project templates, logs and alerting baselines, and IaC modules so new resources inherit the secure setting.
Operational rollout
- Fix the baseline first at the account, subscription, project, cluster, or tenant scope that owns this control.
- Remediate the currently affected resources in batches, starting with internet-exposed and production assets.
- Re-scan and track approved exceptions with an owner and expiry date.
Query logic
These are the stored checks tied to this control.
Ensure That Compute Instances Have Confidential Computing Enabled
Connectors
Covered asset types
Expected check: eq []
{
vms(where: { cloudProvider: "gcp", NOT:{enableConfidentialCompute: true} }) {
...AssetFragment
}
}
