GCP - Permissions for a Pentest

👉 Overview

👀 What ?

Google Cloud Platform (GCP) permissions for a penetration test, or pentest, refers to the set of rules and privileges assigned to different users or entities within the GCP environment for the purposes of conducting a pentest. A pentest is a simulated attack on a system, network or web application to identify vulnerabilities that could be exploited by a malicious actor.

🧐 Why ?

Understanding and setting the right permissions is crucial to the success of a pentest. Having the right permissions ensures that the pentesters can perform their duties without unnecessary restrictions, while avoiding potential damage or unauthorized access to sensitive information. Additionally, understanding permissions can help security professionals identify misconfigurations that may lead to vulnerabilities.

⛏️ How ?

To use GCP permissions for a pentest effectively, you need to first identify the resources you need access to. Then, assign the appropriate roles to the user or service account that will be performing the pentest. GCP provides predefined roles with specific permissions, or you can create custom roles. It's essential to follow the principle of least privilege, granting only the permissions necessary for the pentest. After the pentest, review and revoke the permissions as necessary to maintain security.

⏳ When ?

The use of GCP permissions for pentesting became more common as the adoption of cloud services increased. This is particularly important in today's security landscape, where cloud resources are often targeted by attackers.

⚙️ Technical Explanations

GCP uses Identity and Access Management (IAM) for access control. IAM allows you to create policies that determine who (identity) has what access (role) for which resource. A resource can be a GCP service (like a Compute Engine instance) or an asset (like a firewall rule). In the context of a pentest, you might give a user the roles/compute.securityAdmin role, which allows them to manage security settings in Compute Engine. During the pentest, the user might identify a misconfiguration in a firewall rule - a potential vulnerability. After the pentest, you should review the IAM policies in place and remove or adjust permissions as necessary.