📝 Google GCE Instance is configured to use the Default Service Account 🟢

• Contextual name: 📝 Instance is configured to use the Default Service Account 🟢
• ID: /ce/ca/google/compute-engine/instance-use-default-service-account
• Located in: 📁 Google GCE

Flags

• 🟢 Policy with categories
• 🟢 Policy with type
• 🟢 Production policy

Our Metadata

• Policy Type: COMPLIANCE_POLICY
• Policy Category:
  • SECURITY

Similar Policies

• Cloud Conformity
  • Check for Instances Associated with Default Service Accounts

Logic

• 🧠 prod.logic.yaml 🟢
  • 📗 Google GCE Instance
  • 🔌 Google GCE Instance ServiceAccount Link - object.extracts.yaml
  • 🔌 Google GCE Instance - object.extracts.yaml
  • 🧪 test-data.json

Description

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Description

It is recommended to configure your instance to not use the default Compute Engine service account because it has the Editor role on the project.

Rationale

When a default Compute Engine service account is created, it is automatically granted the Editor role (roles/editor) on your project which allows read and write access to most Google Cloud Services. This role includes a very large number of permissions. To defend against privilege escalations if your VM is compromised and prevent an attacker from gaining access to all of your project, you should either revoke the Editor role from the default Compute Engine service account or create a new service account and assign only the permissions needed by your instance. To mitigate this at scale, we strongly recommend that you disable the automatic role grant by adding a constraint to your organization policy.

The default Compute Engine service account is named [PROJECT_NUMBER]-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com.

Audit

From Google Cloud Console

1. Go to the VM instances page by visiting: https://console.cloud.google.com/compute/instances.

... see more

Remediation

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Remediation

From Google Cloud Console

1. Go to the VM instances page by visiting: https://console.cloud.google.com/compute/instances.
2. Click on the instance name to go to its VM instance details page.
3. Click STOP and then click EDIT.
4. Under the section API and identity management, select a service account other than the default Compute Engine service account. You may first need to create a new service account.
5. Click Save and then click START.

From Google Cloud CLI

1. Stop the instance:

        gcloud compute instances stop <INSTANCE_NAME>

2. Update the instance:

        gcloud compute instances set-service-account <INSTANCE_NAME> --service-account=<SERVICE_ACCOUNT>

3. Restart the instance:

        gcloud compute instances start <INSTANCE_NAME>

policy.yaml

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Linked Framework Sections

Section	Sub Sections	Internal Rules	Policies	Flags
💼 CIS GCP v1.2.0 → 💼 4.1 Ensure that instances are not configured to use the default service account - Level 1 (Automated)			1
💼 CIS GCP v1.3.0 → 💼 4.1 Ensure That Instances Are Not Configured To Use the Default Service Account - Level 1 (Automated)			1
💼 CIS GCP v2.0.0 → 💼 4.1 Ensure That Instances Are Not Configured To Use the Default Service Account - Level 1 (Automated)			1
💼 CIS GCP v3.0.0 → 💼 4.1 Ensure That Instances Are Not Configured To Use the Default Service Account - Level 1 (Automated)			1
💼 Cloudaware Framework → 💼 Secure Access			53
💼 FedRAMP High Security Controls → 💼 IA-5 Authenticator Management (L)(M)(H)	6	14	32
💼 FedRAMP Low Security Controls → 💼 IA-5 Authenticator Management (L)(M)(H)	1		32
💼 FedRAMP Moderate Security Controls → 💼 IA-5 Authenticator Management (L)(M)(H)	4		32
💼 ISO/IEC 27001:2022 → 💼 8.2 Privileged access rights		7	10
💼 ISO/IEC 27001:2022 → 💼 8.9 Configuration management			12
💼 NIST CSF v1.1 → 💼 PR.AC-1: Identities and credentials are issued, managed, verified, revoked, and audited for authorized devices, users and processes		19	30
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 PR.AA-01: Identities and credentials for authorized users, services, and hardware are managed by the organization			38
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 PR.AA-03: Users, services, and hardware are authenticated			32
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 PR.AA-05: Access permissions, entitlements, and authorizations are defined in a policy, managed, enforced, and reviewed, and incorporate the principles of least privilege and separation of duties			88
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 IA-5 Authenticator Management	18		16
💼 PCI DSS v3.2.1 → 💼 2.1 Always change vendor-supplied defaults and remove or disable unnecessary default accounts before installing a system on the network.	1		8
💼 PCI DSS v3.2.1 → 💼 2.1.1 For wireless environments connected to the cardholder data environment or transmitting cardholder data, change ALL wireless vendor defaults at installation, including but not limited to default wireless encryption keys, passwords, and SNMP community strings.			2
💼 PCI DSS v4.0.1 → 💼 2.2.2 Vendor default accounts are managed.			8
💼 PCI DSS v4.0.1 → 💼 2.3.1 For wireless environments connected to the CDE or transmitting account data, all wireless vendor defaults are changed at installation or are confirmed to be secure.			2
💼 PCI DSS v4.0.1 → 💼 2.3.2 For wireless environments connected to the CDE or transmitting account data, wireless encryption keys that are changed.			2
💼 PCI DSS v4.0 → 💼 2.2.2 Vendor default accounts are managed.			8
💼 PCI DSS v4.0 → 💼 2.3.1 For wireless environments connected to the CDE or transmitting account data, all wireless vendor defaults are changed at installation or are confirmed to be secure.			2
💼 PCI DSS v4.0 → 💼 2.3.2 For wireless environments connected to the CDE or transmitting account data, wireless encryption keys that are changed.			2
💼 SOC 2 → 💼 CC6.3-1 Creates or Modifies Access to Protected Information Assets			3
💼 SOC 2 → 💼 CC6.3-2 Removes Access to Protected Information Assets			3
💼 SOC 2 → 💼 CC6.3-3 Uses Access Control Structures		1	4