Control: 6.1.3 Ensure that the 'local_infile' database flag for a Cloud SQL Mysql instance is set to 'off'

Description

It is recommended to set the local_infile database flag for a Cloud SQL MySQL instance to off.

The local_infile flag controls the server-side LOCAL capability for LOAD DATA statements. Depending on the local_infile setting, the server refuses or permits local data loading by clients that have LOCAL enabled on the client side.

To explicitly cause the server to refuse LOAD DATA LOCAL statements (regardless of how client programs and libraries are configured at build time or runtime), start mysqld with local_infile disabled. local_infile can also be set at runtime.

Due to security issues associated with the local_infile flag, it is recommended to disable it. This recommendation is applicable to MySQL database instances.

Remediation

From Console

Go to the Cloud SQL Instances page in the Google Cloud Console by visiting https://console.cloud.google.com/sql/instances.
Select the MySQL instance where the database flag needs to be enabled.
Click Edit.
Scroll down to the Flags section.
To set a flag that has not been set on the instance before,click Add item,choose the flag local_infile from the drop-down menu, and set its value to off.
Click Save.
Confirm the changes under Flags on the Overview page.

From Command Line

List all Cloud SQL database Instances

gcloud sql instances list

Configure the local_infile database flag for every Cloud SQL Mysql database instance using the below command

gcloud sql instances patch INSTANCE_NAME --database-flags local_infile=off

Note This command will overwrite all database flags previously set. To keep those and add new ones, include the values for all flags you want set on the instance; any flag not specifically included is set to its default value. For flags that do not take a value, specify the flag name followed by an equals sign ("=").

Default Value

By default local_infile is on.

Usage

Run the control in your terminal:

powerpipe control run gcp_compliance.control.cis_v200_6_1_3

Snapshot and share results via Turbot Pipes:

powerpipe login
powerpipe control run gcp_compliance.control.cis_v200_6_1_3 --share

SQL

This control uses a named query:

select
  self_link resource,
  case
    when database_version not like 'MYSQL%' then 'skip'
    when database_flags @> '[{"name":"local_infile","value":"off"}]' then 'ok'
    else 'alarm'
  end as status,
  case
    when database_version not like 'MYSQL%'
      then title || ' not a MySQL database.'
    when database_flags is null or not (database_flags @> '[{"name":"local_infile"}]')
      then title || ' ''local_infile'' database flag not set.'
    when database_flags @> '[{"name":"local_infile","value":"off"}]'
      then title || ' ''local_infile'' database flag set to ''off''.'
    else title || ' ''local_infile'' database flag set to ''on''.'
  end as reason
    
    , location as location, project as project
from
  gcp_sql_database_instance;