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How to use BeyondCorp to ditch VPN, improve security and go to the cloud

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Re: How to use BeyondCorp to ditch VPN, improve security and go to the cloud

#21

Post by bitmapbrother »

JoshMnem wrote: post #7

Yesterday, I saw an article[1] about Amazon's plans to block websites in their stores (a very bad thing) and was wondering when a company like Google was going to launch a VPN service. I wonder if these things will meet in the long term. If companies that control the network try to limit access to information about their competitors, then their competitors might try to liberate that information. [1] http://gizmodo.co…

One of the more interesting insights from the comments (which I agree with) was that the Amazon patent was for defensive purposes in order to prevent other companies from trying to implement such an idea in their stores.

I have never given much thought to the idea of defensive patents, but if this is truly the intent of Amazon's patent then it's brilliant.

Re: How to use BeyondCorp to ditch VPN, improve security and go to the cloud

#22

Post by [deleted] »

JoshMnem wrote: post #10
oh_sigh wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's a patent, there is no indication Amazon has any plans to do such a thing.

I know -- that's why I used the phrase "long-term". :) I probably shouldn't have used the word "plans" though, since I don't know for sure if they will implement it.

[deleted]

Re: How to use BeyondCorp to ditch VPN, improve security and go to the cloud

#23

Post by briffle »

magicalist wrote: post #18
devoply wrote: post #6

Yes turn keys over to Google. I am sure if you are an American Fortune 500 company you have no problem with this. Not so if you are a non-American company. Though a lot of people will jump on board despite the huge security implications of doing something like this and turning over all your security over to Google. Meanwhile nation states are exploring how to use quantum encryption to prevent eaves dropping others ar…

It seems from the article this is only being offered as a product to people already using Google Cloud services, specifically for accessing those services? Otherwise it's just a series of papers describing the system.

Much like 'bigtable' was a google internal product, and only published a set of papers describing the system, and now we have hbase.. Or how 'mapreduce' was a google internal product, and now we have hadoop, etc.

Re: How to use BeyondCorp to ditch VPN, improve security and go to the cloud

#24

Post by fortyfivan »

Great to see them continue this series, and glad that this one touches on what it takes for other companies to achieve something similar. I talk about BeyondCorp a lot as evidence that the Zero Trust model works, and that employees will love it.

The most common feedback I get is that it seems like too much of a stretch for companies that don’t operate at Google scale. That may be true if looking at the system as a whole, but the principles behind the architecture should attract anyone’s attention - remove trust from the network by authenticating and authorizing every request based on what’s known about the user and connecting device at the time of the request.

Disclaimer: I work for ScaleFT, a provider of Zero Trust access management solutions.

Edit: If folks are interested in hearing more about how other companies can achieve something similar, here's video of a talk I gave at Heavybit a few months ago on the subject: https://www.heavybit.com/library/blog/beyondcorp-meetup-goog...

Re: How to use BeyondCorp to ditch VPN, improve security and go to the cloud

#25

Post by themodelplumber »

bitmapbrother wrote: post #21
JoshMnem wrote: post #7

Yesterday, I saw an article[1] about Amazon's plans to block websites in their stores (a very bad thing) and was wondering when a company like Google was going to launch a VPN service. I wonder if these things will meet in the long term. If companies that control the network try to limit access to information about their competitors, then their competitors might try to liberate that information. [1] http://gizmodo.co…

One of the more interesting insights from the comments (which I agree with) was that the Amazon patent was for defensive purposes in order to prevent other companies from trying to implement such an idea in their stores. I have never given much thought to the idea of defensive patents, but if this is truly the intent of Amazon's patent then it's brilliant.

Interesting. "Let's block those who would block comparison shopping" certainly makes more free-market sense than "let's block comparison shopping."

Re: How to use BeyondCorp to ditch VPN, improve security and go to the cloud

#27

Post by matttproud »

michaelbuckbee wrote: post #11
izacus wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I thought Google doesn't allow remote work?

Remote meaning on the Google Bus on the way to the office.

Or working on the boat, as we at Google Zürich do: http://goo.gl/P9CA69

Or working on the train: http://goo.gl/mPZKcc

Re: How to use BeyondCorp to ditch VPN, improve security and go to the cloud

#28

Post by skybrian »

izacus wrote: post #8
yegle wrote: post #4

My ex-manager who left Google to another well established company once said the most missed thing from Google was the ability to work remotely right away on corp laptop with BeyondCorp. Disclaimer I work for Google not related to BeyondCorp.

I thought Google doesn't allow remote work?

Working remotely part of the time is common. Full time seems rare, and I've known people who had to find another job when their office closed.

Re: How to use BeyondCorp to ditch VPN, improve security and go to the cloud

#29

Post by wmf »

metalliqaz wrote: post #2

Interesting. This will never happen at my big company, though. Seems hard to imagine most companies being able to manage the complexity.

You never know. SaaS is kind of a gateway drug to BeyondCorp since SaaS isn't inside the firewall to begin with. The next step is to start applying a SaaS mindset to your own internal apps and then you're mostly there.

Re: How to use BeyondCorp to ditch VPN, improve security and go to the cloud

#30

Post by wmf »

magicalist wrote: post #18
devoply wrote: post #6

Yes turn keys over to Google. I am sure if you are an American Fortune 500 company you have no problem with this. Not so if you are a non-American company. Though a lot of people will jump on board despite the huge security implications of doing something like this and turning over all your security over to Google. Meanwhile nation states are exploring how to use quantum encryption to prevent eaves dropping others ar…

It seems from the article this is only being offered as a product to people already using Google Cloud services, specifically for accessing those services? Otherwise it's just a series of papers describing the system.

Calling it "Google BeyondCorp" makes it sound like a product; maybe if they called it something like "BeyondCorp architecture" it would be clearer what they're talking about.
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