Security Best Practices in Google Cloud

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/security-best-practices-in-google-cloud

Introduction

### Course Review: Security Best Practices in Google Cloud on Coursera In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, understanding how to secure cloud environments is not just advantageous—it's essential. The "Security Best Practices in Google Cloud" course offered on Coursera is a self-paced training that equips participants with the foundational knowledge and practical skills necessary to safeguard their Google Cloud infrastructures. #### Course Overview This comprehensive course delves deep into security controls and techniques for Google Cloud, making it a perfect continuation for those who have completed the earlier course in this series, "Managing Security in Google Cloud." The structure of the course, which combines recorded lectures, hands-on labs, and demonstrations, enhances the learning experience by allowing participants to apply their knowledge in real-world scenarios. ### Detailed Syllabus #### Welcome to Security Best Practices in Google Cloud The course begins by setting the stage for implementing security best practices designed to minimize the risks of malicious attacks on systems, software, and data. It lays a solid foundation for learners to build upon their existing understanding of Google Cloud security. #### Securing Compute Engine: Techniques and Best Practices This module offers an in-depth examination of critical components such as service accounts, IAM roles, and API scopes. Participants will learn to manage virtual machine logins and utilize organization policies to enforce constraints across their cloud resources. The module emphasizes encrypting persistent disks using Customer-Supplied Encryption Keys (CSEK), which is paramount for data security. #### Securing Cloud Data: Techniques and Best Practices Data security is at the forefront of this section, where learners explore IAM permissions, access control lists on Cloud Storage buckets, and the processes for auditing cloud data. This module ensures that participants know how to identify publicly accessible data, use signed URLs, and securely manage datasets in BigQuery. It concludes by offering a suite of storage best practices, ensuring that learners can actively protect their data in the cloud. #### Application Security: Techniques and Best Practices The focus shifts towards safeguarding applications within the cloud environment in this module. Participants will become familiar with tools like the Web Security Scanner to identify vulnerabilities and learn about the risks of Identity and OAuth phishing. The use of the Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP) for controlling access to cloud applications is also covered, providing critical insights into application-layer security. #### Securing Google Kubernetes Engine: Techniques and Best Practices With Kubernetes becoming increasingly the foundation for cloud-native applications, this module teaches participants how to secure their workloads effectively. The course covers secure authentication, authorization, and techniques to harden clusters while ensuring proper monitoring is in place. The layered approach to container and API server security is particularly important in safeguarding cloud-native applications. ### Recommendation **Who Should Enroll:** This course is ideal for IT professionals, cloud architects, and security specialists who are looking to enhance their expertise in securing Google Cloud environments. Even those who are new to cloud security can find immense value as it progressively builds from basic concepts to advanced techniques. **Why You Should Take This Course:** As cybersecurity threats grow more sophisticated, having the knowledge and skills to protect cloud resources is invaluable. The hands-on labs provided in the course not only reinforce the concepts discussed but also prepare participants for practical application in their work environments. Additionally, the course's flexibility allows learners to progress at their pace, making it convenient for busy professionals. ### Conclusion In conclusion, "Security Best Practices in Google Cloud" is an excellent investment for anyone serious about enhancing their cloud security posture. With a well-structured syllabus, practical labs, and comprehensive coverage of security best practices, this course empowers participants to not only implement security measures but also foster a culture of security within their organizations. Don't miss the opportunity to strengthen your skills and become a proactive defender against cloud threats. Enroll today on Coursera!

Syllabus

Welcome to Security Best Practices in Google Cloud

Welcome to Security Best Practices in Google Cloud! In this course we will build upon the foundations laid during the earlier course in this series, Managing Security in Google Cloud. In this section, expect to learn more about how to implement security "best practices" to lower the risk of malicious attacks against your systems, software and data.

In this module we will start with a discussion of service accounts, IAM roles and API scopes as they apply to compute engine. We will also discuss managing VM logins, and how to use organization policies to set constraints that apply to all resources in your organization's hierarchy. Next, we will review compute engine best practices to give you some tips for securing compute engine.Lastly, we will cover encrypting persistent disks with Customer-Supplied Encryption keys.

In this module we discuss controlling IAM permissions and access control lists on Cloud Storage buckets, auditing cloud data, including finding and remediating data that has been set to publicly accessible, how to use signed Cloud Storage URLs and signed policy documents, and encrypting data at rest. In addition, BigQuery IAM roles and authorized views will be covered to demonstrate managing access to datasets and tables. The module will conclude with an overview of storage best practices

In this module we will discuss application security techniques and best practices. We will see how Web Security Scanner can be used to identify vulnerabilities in your applications, and dive into the subject of Identity and Oauth phishing. Lastly, you will learn how Identity-Aware Proxy, or IAP, can be used to control access to your cloud applications.

Protecting workloads in Google Kubernetes Engine involves many layers of the stack, including the contents of your container image, the container runtime, the cluster network, and access to the cluster API server. In this module, you will learn how to securely set up your Authentication and Authorization, how to harden your clusters, secure your workloads, and monitor everything to make sure it stays in good health.