​
Event Information

  • The google.bigtable.admin.v2.BigtableInstanceAdmin.UpdateInstance event in GCP for Bigtable refers to an update operation performed on a Bigtable instance.
  • This event indicates that changes have been made to the configuration of a Bigtable instance, such as modifying the instance’s display name, cluster configuration, or other properties.
  • It is important to monitor this event to track any modifications made to Bigtable instances and ensure that the changes align with the desired configuration and security requirements.

​
Examples

  1. Unauthorized access: If security is impacted with the google.bigtable.admin.v2.BigtableInstanceAdmin.UpdateInstance operation in GCP for Bigtable, it could potentially allow unauthorized users to modify critical configuration settings of a Bigtable instance. This could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data stored in the instance, compromising the confidentiality and integrity of the data.
  2. Data leakage: A security impact of this operation could be the inadvertent exposure of sensitive information. If unauthorized users gain access to the UpdateInstance operation, they may be able to modify the instance’s access controls, allowing them to read or write data that they should not have access to. This could result in data leakage and violation of data privacy regulations.
  3. Service disruption: Another security impact could be the potential for service disruption. If an unauthorized user gains access to the UpdateInstance operation, they could modify critical configuration settings, such as network settings or resource allocation, leading to service disruptions or performance degradation. This could impact the availability and reliability of the Bigtable service, affecting business operations and customer experience.

​
Remediation

​
Using Console

  1. Enable VPC Service Controls:
    • Go to the GCP Console and navigate to the VPC Service Controls page.
    • Click on “Create Perimeter” and provide a name for the perimeter.
    • Select the project where your Bigtable instance is located.
    • Choose the desired VPC network and subnet for the perimeter.
    • Click on “Create” to create the perimeter.
    • Once the perimeter is created, click on “Add Access Level” to define the access level for Bigtable.
    • Select the Bigtable API and choose the desired access level.
    • Click on “Add Access Level” to save the access level.
    • Finally, click on “Attach” to attach the perimeter to the project.
  2. Enable VPC Service Controls for Bigtable API:
    • Go to the GCP Console and navigate to the VPC Service Controls page.
    • Click on “Create Perimeter” and provide a name for the perimeter.
    • Select the project where your Bigtable instance is located.
    • Choose the desired VPC network and subnet for the perimeter.
    • Click on “Create” to create the perimeter.
    • Once the perimeter is created, click on “Add Access Level” to define the access level for Bigtable.
    • Select the Bigtable API and choose the desired access level.
    • Click on “Add Access Level” to save the access level.
    • Finally, click on “Attach” to attach the perimeter to the project.
  3. Enable VPC Service Controls for Bigtable API:
    • Go to the GCP Console and navigate to the VPC Service Controls page.
    • Click on “Create Perimeter” and provide a name for the perimeter.
    • Select the project where your Bigtable instance is located.
    • Choose the desired VPC network and subnet for the perimeter.
    • Click on “Create” to create the perimeter.
    • Once the perimeter is created, click on “Add Access Level” to define the access level for Bigtable.
    • Select the Bigtable API and choose the desired access level.
    • Click on “Add Access Level” to save the access level.
    • Finally, click on “Attach” to attach the perimeter to the project.

​
Using CLI

To remediate the issues mentioned in the previous response for GCP Bigtable using GCP CLI, you can follow these steps:
  1. Enable audit logging for GCP Bigtable:
    • Use the following command to enable audit logging for Bigtable: 
      gcloud logging sinks create [SINK_NAME] bigtable.googleapis.com/projects/[PROJECT_ID]/instances/[INSTANCE_ID] --log-filter='resource.type="bigtable_instance"'
    • Replace [SINK_NAME] with a name for the sink, [PROJECT_ID] with your GCP project ID, and [INSTANCE_ID] with the ID of your Bigtable instance.
  2. Implement VPC Service Controls for Bigtable:
    • Create a VPC Service Controls perimeter for Bigtable using the following command: 
      gcloud access-context-manager perimeters create [PERIMETER_NAME] --resources=bigtable.googleapis.com/projects/[PROJECT_ID]/instances/[INSTANCE_ID] --restricted-services=bigtable.googleapis.com
    • Replace [PERIMETER_NAME] with a name for the perimeter.
  3. Enable encryption at rest for Bigtable:
    • Use the following command to enable encryption at rest for Bigtable: 
      gcloud beta bigtable instances update [INSTANCE_ID] --cluster=[CLUSTER_ID] --encryption-at-rest-state=ENABLED
    • Replace [INSTANCE_ID] with the ID of your Bigtable instance and [CLUSTER_ID] with the ID of your Bigtable cluster.
Please note that the above commands are examples and may need to be modified based on your specific GCP setup. Make sure to replace the placeholders with the appropriate values.

​
Using Python

To remediate the issues mentioned in the previous response for GCP Bigtable using Python, you can follow these steps:
  1. Enable VPC Service Controls:
    • Use the google-cloud-bigtable library in Python to create a new Bigtable instance.
    • Set the vpc_service_controls parameter to True while creating the instance.
    • This will enforce VPC Service Controls, ensuring that the Bigtable instance can only be accessed from authorized networks.
  2. Implement IAM Roles and Permissions:
    • Use the google-cloud-iam library in Python to manage IAM roles and permissions for Bigtable.
    • Grant appropriate roles to users or service accounts based on their responsibilities.
    • For example, you can assign the roles/bigtable.admin role to administrators and roles/bigtable.reader role to read-only users.
    • Ensure that the principle of least privilege is followed while assigning roles.
  3. Enable Audit Logging:
    • Use the google-cloud-logging library in Python to enable audit logging for Bigtable.
    • Create a new sink that exports logs to a Cloud Storage bucket or BigQuery dataset.
    • Set the appropriate filter to capture relevant audit events, such as creating or deleting tables, modifying schema, etc.
    • Regularly review the logs to detect any suspicious activities or policy violations.
Please note that the provided steps are high-level guidelines, and you may need to adapt them based on your specific requirements and environment.