VPC Service Controls
A security tool that defines a perimeter around Google Cloud resources to prevent data exfiltration and unauthorized access.
| Category | Data Security & Encryption |
|---|---|
| This page updated | a month ago |
| Pricing Details | Pricing details available on the Google Cloud website. |
| Target Audience | Enterprise security teams managing Google Cloud resources. |
VPC Service Controls is designed for data exfiltration and unauthorized access to Google Cloud resources by defining a robust security perimeter around these assets. This tool enables enterprise security teams to create fine-grained access controls that constrain data movement within specified boundaries, mitigating risks from both insider and outsider threats.
Technically, VPC Service Controls operates by allowing users to define service perimeters that encapsulate specific Google Cloud resources such as Cloud Storage buckets, Bigtable instances, and BigQuery datasets. These perimeters ensure that data cannot be copied or accessed outside the defined boundary, even if IAM policies are misconfigured. The setup involves creating an access policy at the organization level, which can be scoped down to folders or projects, and configuring the service perimeter using the gcloud command-line interface or the Access Context Manager API.
Key operational considerations include the need to include all dependent services within the same perimeter to avoid bypassing security policies. For example, if Ads Data Hub is restricted, BigQuery must also be included as an allowed service within the same perimeter. Additionally, VPC Service Controls does not enforce comprehensive controls on metadata movement, so IAM policies should be used to manage metadata access.
From a technical details perspective, VPC Service Controls supports context-aware access based on attributes like user identity and IP address, allowing for granular control over who can access cloud resources from the internet. The tool also supports dry run mode for monitoring requests without preventing access, which is useful for understanding traffic patterns and identifying potential security violations. However, there are limitations with certain services; for instance, some features of Ads Data Hub may require data to be exported outside the VPC Service Controls perimeter, necessitating careful configuration to maintain security while preserving functionality.