Connect GCP Cloud SQL for MySQL to DSPM - Netskope Technical Documentation

Overview

Netskope One DSPM supports scanning GCP Cloud SQL for MySQL data stores. Follow these instructions to setup your MySQL database and configure its connection to Netskope One DSPM.

These instructions are for connecting an individual MySQL Data Store. To learn more about onboarding many MySQL Data Stores at once, please visit our Connecting to multiple MySQL Data Stores article.

Authenticate Data Store

There are two methods for authenticating GCP Cloud SQL for MySQL data stores: Snapshot Scan or Netskope One DSPM-specific Credentials.

Using Snapshot Scan

Snapshot Scans are quicker and simpler, spinning up a secure copy of the data store for Netskope One DSPM to scan without needing to create Netskope One DSPM-specific credentials. This copy exists only within your Netskope One DSPM instance, and Netskope One DSPM does not store any associated data. It’s encrypted and then immediately spun down, so there are no lingering data copies. Please note that spinning up the data store copy can cause the scan initiation process can take several hours.

The following features are not supported when authenticating via Snapshot:

Privilege Analysis
Data-in-use monitoring
Database selection
Sample data collection

Ensure you’ve enabled data store Snapshots access during GCP Infrastructure onboarding. For already onboarded accounts, you must manually add permission Cloud SQL Admin in the GCP Console.

Once connected, data classification in the data store runs via Snapshot, which appears on the Data Store Inventory page as a small layered square note icon to the right of the hyperlinked data store name. You can later edit the data store and toggle off Snapshots, at which point Netskope One DSPM-specific credentials will be required to authenticate the data store.

Using Netskope One DSPM-Specific Credentials

Authenticating the data store via Netskope One DSPM-specific credentials requires additional configuration steps within GCP and may involve additional administrative support, as outlined below. This type of authentication enables access to all supported capabilities within Netskope One DSPM.

Begin by configuring a MySQL service account, which will be dedicated to Netskope One DSPM’s use. The following steps may require the assistance of your local database administrator.

As an administrator, log into your MySQL database’s shell using these GCP instructions.
Create the Netskope One DSPM-specific MySQL user by executing the following commands in order at the MySQL shell prompt

Command	Outcome	Notes
`CREATE USER 'dasera_user'@'%' IDENTIFIED BY 'dasera_password';`	Creates the Netskope One DSPM-specific user.	Substitute `dasera_user` and `dasera_password` with your own preferred values. @’%’ creates a user which supports remote connection. As an alternative, substitute it with @’#.#.#.#’ to allow a specific IP address.
`GRANT SELECT ON . TO 'dasera_user'@'%';`	Grants to the Netskope One DSPM-specific user the required permissions which power capabilities within the Netskope One DSPM platform.	Substitute dasera_user with the value used above.. means “on all schemas, in all tables in those schemas”, and it applies to future tables and schemas as well.

Configure Query Logging (Optional)

Netskope One DSPM’s Data-In-Use-Monitoring capability requires access to query logging. If you wish to leverage this capability, you must configure your MySQL instance to begin generating such logs.

Users who have the MySQL permission to set the sql_log_off session variable can disable logging for their own session (and the separate permission to set restricted session variables). For optimal security and auditability, the ability to access & adjust this setting should be restricted.

Enabling query logging on a MySQL database may impact its performance. Once you have completed these configurations, closely monitor your database along with any pipelines / applications that are dependent on it.

These changes will require a MySQL server restart to take effect. It is recommended you schedule this reboot during an internally-publicized maintenance window in order to least impact your users.

The following steps may require the assistance of your local database administrator.

Please follow the steps below to define these configurations:

Click this link to log into your GCP Console, which will navigate you to a list of your SQL instances. For the database you wish Netskope One DSPM to scan, click its Name value under the Instance ID column, which will navigate you to the Overview screen.
On the Overview screen, click the Edit button at the top menu bar
On the next screen, scroll down and expand the Flags section.
Configure the following flags

Flag	Value
general_log	On
log_output	TABLE

Click Done to confirm the configuration and press the SAVE button.
Restart the MySQL database.

Retrieve Connection Information

Netskope One DSPM requires additional information to communicate with your MySQL instance. Connection details vary depending on whether you connect to the data store with Netskope One DSPM-specific credentials or via Snapshot Scan.

Connection Information for Netskope One DSPM-Specific Credentials

Please follow the steps below to identify the connection values for later use within Netskope One DSPM.

Click this link to log into your GCP Console, which will navigate you to a list of your SQL instances.
For the database instance you wish Netskope One DSPM to scan, make note of the following value, which will later be used within Netskope One DSPM for connecting your Data Store.

Database Value	Corresponding Netskope One DSPM Value	Example (See highlighted value)
Public IP address	Data Store Endpoint

Connection Information for Snapshot Scan

Please follow the steps below to identify the connection values for later use within Netskope One DSPM.

Click this link to log into your GCP Console, which will navigate you to a list of your SQL instances.
For the database instance you wish Netskope One DSPM to scan, make note of the following value, which will later be used within Netskope One DSPM for connecting your Data Store.

Database Value	Corresponding Netskope One DSPM Value	Example (See highlighted value)
Instance ID	Data Store Instance ID

Connect Your Data Store

Step 1: Provide Credentials

Follow these steps to configure the connection:

Go to Data Stores > Data Store Inventory.
Click CONNECT A DATA STORE in the upper right.

Tip: Alternatively, if the data store was already found by auto-discovery, go to the Discovered tab and click Connect in the Actions column.
In the Connect a Data Store window, click the data store icon you wish to connect.
In the Provide Credentials section, complete the following fields:

Field	Value
Select GCP Account	Select one of the GCP Accounts defined within the Infrastructure Section screen. The field will default if there is just one GCP Account configured.
Data Store Identifier	Provide a friendly name to describe this data store. Your value displays in other Netskope One DSPM screens, such as Policy Management and Classification Management.
Data Store Instance ID (if Snapshot Scan)	Enter the corresponding value from the Connection Information for Snapshot Scan step above.
Data Store Endpoint (if Netskope One DSPM-specific credentials)	Enter the corresponding value from the Connection Information for Netskope One DSPM-Specific Credentials step above, plus the port number. For example, for a Public IP address like 1.2.3.4, you would enter 1.2.3.4:3306. 3306 is the default MySQL port number. If you are using a custom port number, be sure to substitute it here.
Database Username (if Netskope One DSPM-specific credentials)	Enter the corresponding value of the service user account created in the step Using Netskope One DSPM-specific Credentials above.
Password (if Netskope One DSPM-specific credentials)	Enter the corresponding value of the service user account password configured in the step Using Netskope One DSPM-specific Credentials above.
Scan Frequency	Controls how often your Data Store is reviewed for changes, Netskope One DSPM’s recommended frequency is defaulted, which you can override if (desired).
Sidecar Pool	If you will use sidecars to monitor this data store, select a sidecar pool with network visibility to said data store. This field is displayed when there is at least one defined sidecar pool. To learn more, please visit our Sidecar Administration article.

Step 2: Scanning Infrastructure

Click Next.
When the Select Capabilities tab appears, complete the following fields:
- Assign a Data Owner (Optional): Select one or more users responsible for this data store.
- Which databases should Netskope DSPM scan?: Select the specific data stores and schemas to monitor, if applicable.
- Features: Select the features you want to enable.

Capability	Supported for GCP Cloud SQL for MySQL via Netskope One DSPM-specific Credentials	Supported for GCP Cloud SQL for MySQL via Snapshot Scan
Discovery	Yes (always-on)	Yes
Privilege Analysis	Yes Note: MySQL version 8.0 or higher is required for this capability. If you are using an older MySQL version, disable this setting before continuing.	No
Shadow Data Analysis	Yes	No
Classification	Yes	Yes
Data-In-Use Monitoring	Yes Note: Query logging must be configured for this before enabling this capability. See the Configure Query Logging section above.	No
Automation	Yes (always-on)	Yes

Step 3: Review and Save

Click Save.
- When the Review tab appears, the system validates your configuration. If there are any issues, follow the on-screen instructions to fix them.
Click Save to finalize the connection.

If you encounter the error “Unable to access system logs for MySQL database”, be sure to double-check your logging configurations in the Configure Query Logging section above.