Cis Gcp Foundations 1.8

---
name: cis-gcp-foundations-1.8
description: "Ensure That Separation of Duties Is Enforced While Assigning Service Account Related Roles to Users"
category: cis-gcp-foundations
version: "4.0.0"
author: cyberstrike-official
tags: [cis, gcp, iam, service-accounts, mfa, kms, api-keys]
cis_id: "1.8"
cis_benchmark: "CIS Google Cloud Platform Foundation Benchmark v4.0.0"
tech_stack: [gcp]
cwe_ids: []
chains_with: []
prerequisites: []
severity_boost: {}
---

# 1.8 Ensure That Separation of Duties Is Enforced While Assigning Service Account Related Roles to Users (Automated)

## Profile Applicability

- Level 2

## Description

It is recommended that the principle of 'Separation of Duties' is enforced while assigning service-account related roles to users.

## Rationale

The built-in/predefined IAM role `Service Account admin` allows the user/identity to create, delete, and manage service account(s). The built-in/predefined IAM role `Service Account User` allows the user/identity (with adequate privileges on Compute and App Engine) to assign service account(s) to Apps/Compute Instances.

Separation of duties is the concept of ensuring that one individual does not have all necessary permissions to be able to complete a malicious action. In Cloud IAM - service accounts, this could be an action such as using a service account to access resources that user should not normally have access to.

Separation of duties is a business control typically used in larger organizations, meant to help avoid security or privacy incidents and errors. It is considered best practice.

No user should have `Service Account Admin` and `Service Account User` roles assigned at the same time.

## Impact

The removed role should be assigned to a different user based on business needs.

## Audit Procedure

**From Google Cloud Console**

1. Go to `IAM & Admin/IAM` using `https://console.cloud.google.com/iam-admin/iam`.
2. Ensure no member has the roles `Service Account Admin` and `Service account User` assigned together.

**From Google Cloud CLI**

1. List all users and role assignments:

```bash
gcloud projects get-iam-policy [Project_ID] --format json | \
  jq -r '[
    (["Service_Account_Admin_and_User"] | (., map(length*"-"))),
      (
        [
          .bindings[] |
          select(.role == "roles/iam.serviceAccountAdmin" or .role == "roles/iam.serviceAccountUser").members[]
        ] |
        group_by(.) |
        map({User: ., Count: length}) |
        .[] |
        select(.Count == 2).User |
        unique
      )
  ] |
  .[] |
  @tsv'
```

2. All common users listed under `Service_Account_Admin_and_User` are assigned both the `roles/iam.serviceAccountAdmin` and `roles/iam.serviceAccountUser` roles.

## Expected Result

No users should be listed as having both `Service Account Admin` and `Service Account User` roles assigned simultaneously.

## Remediation

**From Google Cloud Console**

1. Go to `IAM & Admin/IAM` using `https://console.cloud.google.com/iam-admin/iam`.
2. For any member having both `Service Account Admin` and `Service account User` roles granted/assigned, click the `Delete Bin` icon to remove either role from the member.
   Removal of a role should be done based on the business requirements.

## Default Value

By default, there are no roles assigned to User Managed User created service accounts.

## Additional Information

Users granted with Owner (roles/owner) and Editor (roles/editor) have privileges equivalent to `Service Account Admin` and `Service Account User`. To avoid the misuse, Owner and Editor roles should be granted to very limited users and Use of these primitive privileges should be minimal. These requirements are addressed in separate recommendations.

## References

1. https://cloud.google.com/iam/docs/service-accounts
2. https://cloud.google.com/iam/docs/understanding-roles
3. https://cloud.google.com/iam/docs/granting-roles-to-service-accounts

## CIS Controls

| Controls Version | Control                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | IG 1 | IG 2 | IG 3 |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| v8               | 3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists - Configure data access control lists based on a user's need to know. Apply data access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file systems, databases, and applications.                                                                                                                                                        | x    | x    | x    |
| v7               | 14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists - Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the information based on their need to access the information as a part of their responsibilities. | x    | x    | x    |