Ubuntu Desktop On Google Cloud Platform

Google Cloud enables developers to build, test, and deploy applications on Google’s highly scalable and reliable infrastructure. Google cloud platform is a set of modular cloud-based services that allow you to create anything from simple websites to complex applications.

To Learn More:

Google Cloud Platform Setup: GCP for Cybersecurity
This guide provides step-by-step instructions on setting up Google Cloud Platform (GCP) for cybersecurity purposes. Understanding how to configure and utilize GCP is crucial for implementing secure and scalable cloud solutions.

Steps to Install Ubuntu Desktop on GCP

1. First, we have to create a new VM. To do so, open the navigation menu > Compute Engine > Create.

Give the name of your instance.
Change the region.
The configuration side changes them on the machine according to your requirements. More CPUs mean more cost, so look into them first.

Change the boot disk. I am here installing Ubuntu. The version is 20.04 LTS.
Change the size of the disk.
Click select.

At this place, HTTP and HTTPS traffic are not required to keep them blank.
Click create.

2. It may take time to activate the VM instance and click SSH to connect with the Ubuntu terminal.

On the terminal screen type sudo su, which gives you administrator privileges.
So from here update and also upgrade your Ubuntu using the following commands.

technoscsoln@ubuntu-desktop:~$ sudo su
root@ubuntu-desktop:/home/technoscsoln# sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade

3. If you want to interact with Ubuntu graphically you have to install Ubuntu Desktop.

To install just type the following command:

root@ubuntu-desktop:/home/technoscsoln# sudo apt-get ubuntu-desktop

To interact with Ubuntu graphically we need remote connection software:

1. Download no machine on Ubuntu. So open the NoMachine official website, and Click on NoMachine for Linux DEB amd64.

Right-click on the Download button and click Inspect.
Copy the element by right-clicking on the mouse.

2. Copy this "ahref" code to Notepad and copy the Download URL. Open the SSH terminal and type the following command:

root@ubuntu-desktop:/home/technoscsoln# wget https://download.nomachine.com/download/7.4/Linux/nomachine_7.4.1_1_amd64.deb

root@ubuntu-desktop:/home/technoscsoln# ls

nomachine_7.4.1_1_amd64.deb

root@ubuntu-desktop:/home/technoscsoln# apt install ./nomachine_7.4.1_1_amd64.deb

3. Now you have to set the firewall rule. To create a firewall rule, click on three dots and click on view network details > Click on Firewall > Click on “Create Firewall Rule”.

Set the name to NoMachine.
Set target tags type NoMachine.
Set the source IP range to 0.0.0.0/0.
Click TCP and here type 4000.
Now click Create to create the Firewall rule.

4. Now go back to VM instances and click on Ubuntu-desktop.

Click edit.
On-network tags type NoMachine and hit enter.
Save it.

5. Again open the SSH terminal.

Set a new password for the Ubuntu desktop.
Open sshd_config with a nano text editor.

root@ubuntu-desktop:/home/technoscsoln# passwd
New Password:
Retype New Password:
passwd: password updated sucessfully
root@ubuntu-desktop:/home/technoscsoln# nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

Set the password authentication to yes.
Save it using CTRl+X and hit enter.

6. Create a new user for the Ubuntu desktop and give the user sudo and administrator permission.

root@ubuntu-desktop:/home/technoscsoln# adduser mrdev
..........................................................................
..........................................................................
..........................................................................
root@ubuntu-desktop:/home/technoscsoln# usermod -a -G sudo,adm mrdev
root@ubuntu-desktop:/home/technoscsoln# reboot

6. To interact with Ubuntu Desktop, download NoMachine, and Install it.

a. Run NoMachine software and click on new to create a new one.