Securing a Virtual Machine Using BeyondCorp Enterprise (BCE)

1. Understand the BeyondCorp Enterprise Model
     
   -Zero Trust: BCE operates under a zero-trust security model, meaning no one is automatically trusted—internal or external to your network.
   -Secure Access: It secures applications,devices, and networks by verifying user identity, device health, and context before access is granted.

2. Set Up BeyondCorp Enterprise

-Google Cloud Console: To use BCE,you need a Google Cloud account. Begin by logging into the Google Cloud Console at console.cloud.google.com.
  - Navigate to the APIs & Services section and enable the API to integrate it into your security strategy.

1. Configure a Virtual Machine (VM) in Google Cloud
     
    - Create a VM
    - Go to the Compute Engine section and select >Create Instance.

   • Choose your preferred machine configuration (OS, size, region)  - Ensure proper firewall rules are configured during VM setup, restricting unnecessary traffic.
   • SSH Access: Enable SSH access for your VM.

2. Set Up Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP) for VM Access

-Enable IAP

• Navigate to > Identity-Aware Proxy under Security in the Google Cloud Console.
• Enable IAP for your project
• Configure VM access via IAP**:
• In the IAP settings, select the VM instances you want to protect.
• Set up access control policies to manage who can SSH into the virtual machines, verifying identity and device compliance before allowing entry.

1. Implement Context-Aware Access   
2. Define Access Levels
   • Set access levels based on device compliance, user identity, location, and other risk factors.
3. In Access Context Manager create access levels with specific conditions, such as device encryption or specific IP ranges.
4. Apply Access Policies

5. Attach these access levels to your VM’s resources, ensuring that only authorized and compliant users can access the machine.

6. Monitor and Enforce Security Policies
     

   • Real-Time Monitoring Use the Security Command Center to monitor VM access in real-time, identifying suspicious activities or failed access attempts

7. Audit Logs

8. Enable audit logging for both the VM and BCE. This will track access attempts and flag any unauthorized access.

9. Logs can be viewed in Cloud Logging.

Congratulations