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gcp

Compute instance has Confidential Computing enabled

compute_instance_confidential_computing_enabled
Service: computeSeverity: medium
OfficialBuilt-inVerified
Categories:encryption
Resource Type:compute.googleapis.com/Instance

Google Compute Engine VMs configured as Confidential VMs encrypt data in use with hardware-based memory protection and per-instance keys.

This assessment identifies whether Confidential Computing is enabled on each VM instance.

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Risk

Absent Confidential Computing, plaintext data in RAM can be exposed via host introspection, hypervisor compromise, or cold-boot/DMA attacks, undermining confidentiality and enabling in-memory tampering that impacts integrity of computations, models, and secrets.

Run this check with Prowler

Run in Prowler Cloud
Run
prowler gcp --checks compute_instance_confidential_computing_enabled

Recommendation

Enable Confidential VMs for workloads processing sensitive data to protect data-in-use. Apply defense in depth: enforce least privilege on administrative access, use disk encryption with CMEK, and require workload attestation/trusted images. If unsupported, isolate or refactor workloads to compatible options.

Remediation

Terraform

resource "google_compute_instance" "<example_resource_name>" {
  name         = "<example_resource_name>"
  machine_type = "n2d-standard-2"  # Supported for Confidential VM
  zone         = "<ZONE>"

  boot_disk {
    initialize_params {
      image = "debian-cloud/debian-12"
    }
  }

  network_interface {}

  # Critical: Enables Confidential Computing on the VM
  confidential_instance_config {
    enable_confidential_compute = true  # Turns on Confidential VM
  }
}

Other

1In Google Cloud Console, go to Compute Engine > VM instances
2Select <instance> and click Stop
3Click Edit
4Under Confidential VM service, check Enable Confidential VM service
5If the option is unavailable, change Machine series to a supported one (e.g., N2D) and select a type
6Click Save, then click Start to power on the instance

Check Code

from prowler.lib.check.models import Check, Check_Report_GCP
from prowler.providers.gcp.services.compute.compute_client import compute_client


class compute_instance_confidential_computing_enabled(Check):
    def execute(self) -> Check_Report_GCP:
        findings = []
        for instance in compute_client.instances:
            report = Check_Report_GCP(metadata=self.metadata(), resource=instance)
            report.status = "PASS"
            report.status_extended = (
                f"VM Instance {instance.name} has Confidential Computing enabled."
            )
            if not instance.confidential_computing:
                report.status = "FAIL"
                report.status_extended = f"VM Instance {instance.name} does not have Confidential Computing enabled."
            findings.append(report)

        return findings

References