Lion Cipher Lab

Secure a new Google Cloud project: the baseline (owner 2-Step Verification, IAM basics, Security Command Center, no public buckets, budget alerts)

• Cloud Security
• Intermediate
• ~60 min
• Free · no account required

Why it matters

The first hour on a brand-new cloud account decides whether it becomes a launchpad or a liability. Automated bots scan the internet for freshly created cloud accounts with weak logins and for storage buckets and machines left open to the world; they try leaked and guessed credentials within minutes. At the same time, a beginner's most common cloud injury is not a breach — it is a surprise bill from leaving something running or making a mistake with billing. This lab walks the baseline Google itself recommends for a fresh project: protect the owner identity with 2-Step Verification, understand…

What you'll learn

• Google Cloud fundamentals (project, organization, IAM)
• protecting the owner identity with 2-Step Verification
• IAM least privilege and avoiding basic roles (Owner/Editor)
• Security Command Center: what it sees and what its tiers cost
• preventing public buckets and public instances
• cloud spend guardrails (budgets and billing alerts)
• avoiding a surprise cloud bill

Steps in this lab

1. The words you're about to hear, in plain English
2. Read this before you sign up: how NOT to get a surprise bill
3. Create your free Google Cloud account and your first project
4. Guardrail: set a budget with an email alert
5. Lock the front door: turn on 2-Step Verification on your Google Account
6. Understand IAM: don't hand out god-mode
7. Meet Security Command Center — and learn what it costs
8. Never publish a bucket or expose an instance by accident
9. Wrap up and tear down — leave nothing that can bill

Open the full interactive lab →