Check ID: compute_instance_confidential_computing_enabled
Provider: GCP
Service: compute
Severity: MEDIUM
Categories: encryption
Resource type: compute.googleapis.com/Instance

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What this check verifies

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.

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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.

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Remediation

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
  }
}

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References

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Where this check fires

This check runs on every scheduled scan against your GCP account. Findings appear at Cloud Security → Findings filterable by Check ID = compute_instance_confidential_computing_enabled. To re-evaluate after a fix, hit Run now on the account’s schedule under Cloud Security → Schedules — the next scan re-checks this control and marks the finding fixed or keeps it persistent.
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