​
Event Information

  1. The v1.compute.networks.removePeering event in GCP for Compute indicates that a peering connection between two networks has been removed.
  2. This event signifies that the peering configuration between the source network and the target network has been deleted.
  3. It is important to note that removing peering can impact network connectivity and should be done with caution, considering the potential impact on network traffic and communication between the networks involved.

​
Examples

  1. Unauthorized access: Removing peering connections in GCP Compute can potentially impact security if unauthorized individuals gain access to the network. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data or resources within the network.

  2. Network isolation: Removing peering connections can result in a loss of network isolation, allowing traffic from external networks to flow into the network. This can increase the attack surface and make it easier for malicious actors to exploit vulnerabilities within the network.

  3. Data exfiltration: If security controls are not properly configured after removing peering connections, it can lead to data exfiltration. Attackers may be able to exfiltrate sensitive data from the network, compromising the confidentiality and integrity of the data.

​
Remediation

​
Using Console

To remediate the issues mentioned in the previous response for GCP Compute using the GCP console, you can follow these step-by-step instructions:

  1. Enable VPC Flow Logs:

    • Go to the GCP Console and navigate to the VPC network page.
    • Select the VPC network where you want to enable flow logs.
    • Click on “Edit” at the top of the page.
    • Scroll down to the “Flow logs” section and click on “Enable flow logs”.
    • Configure the desired flow log settings, such as the filter, destination, and sampling rate.
    • Click on “Save” to enable flow logs for the selected VPC network.

  2. Enable CloudTrail for GCP:

    • Go to the GCP Console and navigate to the CloudTrail page.
    • Click on “Create a new trail” to create a new CloudTrail configuration.
    • Provide a name for the trail and select the desired GCP project.
    • Choose the services for which you want to enable CloudTrail logging.
    • Configure the storage settings, such as the bucket name and object prefix.
    • Optionally, enable log file validation and data events.
    • Click on “Create” to enable CloudTrail for the selected GCP project.

  3. Enable Security Center for GCP:

    • Go to the GCP Console and navigate to the Security Command Center page.
    • Click on “Enable Security Command Center” to enable Security Center for the selected GCP project.
    • Wait for the Security Command Center to be enabled.
    • Once enabled, navigate to the Security Command Center dashboard.
    • Review the security findings and recommendations provided by Security Center.
    • Take necessary actions to remediate the identified security issues based on the recommendations.

Note: The above instructions assume that you have the necessary permissions and access to the GCP Console.

​
Using CLI

  1. Enable VPC Flow Logs for GCP Compute instances:

    • Use the gcloud compute instances update command to enable VPC Flow Logs for a specific instance: 
      gcloud compute instances update INSTANCE_NAME --enable-network-logs

  2. Restrict SSH access to GCP Compute instances:

    • Use the gcloud compute firewall-rules update command to update the firewall rule for SSH access: 
      gcloud compute firewall-rules update FIREWALL_RULE_NAME --allow tcp:22 --source-ranges CIDR_RANGE

  3. Enable automatic OS patch management for GCP Compute instances:

    • Use the gcloud compute instances update command to enable automatic OS patch management for a specific instance: 
      gcloud compute instances update INSTANCE_NAME --enable-os-patch-management

​
Using Python

To remediate the issues mentioned in the previous response for GCP Compute using Python, you can use the following approaches:

  1. Enforce strong password policies:

    • Use the Google Cloud Identity and Access Management (IAM) API to create a custom password policy for GCP Compute instances.
    • Write a Python script that utilizes the IAM API to enforce password complexity requirements, such as minimum length, special characters, and regular password rotation.

  2. Enable disk encryption:

    • Use the Google Cloud Key Management Service (KMS) API to create and manage encryption keys.
    • Write a Python script that utilizes the KMS API to enable disk encryption for GCP Compute instances. This script can be used to encrypt existing unencrypted disks or to ensure that new disks are automatically encrypted upon creation.

  3. Implement network security groups:

    • Use the Google Cloud Firewall API to create and manage network security groups for GCP Compute instances.

    • Write a Python script that utilizes the Firewall API to define and enforce network access rules, such as allowing only specific IP ranges or protocols to access the instances. This script can be used to create and update firewall rules for Compute instances.