How do I disable Internet access on my cloud?

Disabling Internet access on your "cloud" can refer to several different scenarios, depending on whether you're using a personal Network Attached Storage (NAS) device like a Western Digital My Cloud Home, or a service hosted on a public cloud platform such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud. This guide will cover both interpretations to provide a comprehensive solution.

How to Disable Internet Access on Your Cloud

Achieving granular control over network access is crucial for security and data privacy. Here’s how you can disable Internet access, depending on your specific cloud environment.

Disabling Internet Access for a Personal Cloud Device (e.g., Western Digital My Cloud Home)

If your "cloud" refers to a personal Network Attached Storage (NAS) device like the Western Digital My Cloud Home, understanding the distinction between local and Internet access is key.

Understanding Local vs. Internet Access

Local Network Access: This allows devices within your home or office network (e.g., computers, smart TVs) to connect directly to your My Cloud Home device.
Internet Access (Remote Access): This enables you to access your My Cloud Home data from outside your local network, using the manufacturer's cloud services (e.g., via a mobile app or web portal when you're away from home). Disabling this restricts external access.

Steps to Disable Internet Access (Remote Access) on a My Cloud Home Device

To manage network settings, including remote access, you typically need to access the device's administrative dashboard.

Access Your Device Dashboard:
- Begin by signing into the dashboard using the web or mobile app, as you would to manage your Western Digital device. For Western Digital My Cloud Home devices, this involves signing in using your Western Digital account credentials.
Locate Network or Remote Access Settings:
- Once logged in, navigate to the settings section. Look for categories such as "Cloud Access," "Remote Access," "Network," or "Users."
- You should find an option to enable or disable cloud/remote access for the device or specific users. Disabling this option will prevent the device from communicating with the internet for remote access purposes.
Physical Disconnection (Most Secure):
- The most absolute way to disable Internet access is to physically disconnect the Ethernet cable from the My Cloud Home device to your router. This will also disable local network access, rendering it an offline storage device.
Router Firewall Rules:
- Access your home or office router's administrative interface (usually via a web browser at an address like 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1).
- Locate the "Firewall," "Access Control," or "Parental Controls" settings.
- You can create a new rule to block all outbound and inbound connections for the My Cloud Home device's specific IP address or MAC address. This allows it to remain connected to the local network but isolates it from the Internet.

Disabling Local Network Access (as per reference context)

While the question is about Internet access, the provided reference explicitly pertains to managing Local Network Access on a My Cloud Home device. If you wish to disable access from other devices within your home network:

After signing into the dashboard using the web or mobile app (as mentioned in the reference for managing your Western Digital device), navigate to the "Network" or "Sharing" settings. Here, you should find options to disable or restrict local network discovery and access. Specific steps may vary by firmware version.

Disabling Internet Access for Public Cloud Resources (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)

For virtual machines (VMs), databases, or other services hosted on public cloud platforms, disabling Internet access involves configuring network security rules.

Common Methods for Public Cloud Environments

Cloud providers offer robust tools to control network traffic. Here's a breakdown of the primary methods:

Security Groups (Firewalls for Instances/Services):
- Concept: Security Groups act as virtual firewalls for your cloud resources (e.g., EC2 instances in AWS, Virtual Machines in Azure/Google Cloud). They control inbound and outbound traffic at the instance level.
- Action: To disable Internet access, remove or modify outbound rules that allow traffic to 0.0.0.0/0 (all IP addresses) on ports 80 (HTTP), 443 (HTTPS), or any other port used for Internet communication. Similarly, ensure no inbound rules permit traffic from 0.0.0.0/0 if you want to block all external access.
- Example (AWS EC2 Security Group):
  - Navigate to your EC2 instance.
  - Under "Security," click on the associated Security Group.
  - Edit "Outbound Rules."
  - Delete any rule allowing All Traffic or specific ports to 0.0.0.0/0.
  - Edit "Inbound Rules" to ensure no 0.0.0.0/0 sources are allowed for services you want to restrict from the internet.
Network Access Control Lists (NACLs) / Network Security Groups (NSGs):
- Concept: NACLs (AWS) or NSGs (Azure) operate at the subnet level, controlling traffic in and out of subnets. They provide stateless packet filtering.
- Action: Create or modify NACL/NSG rules associated with the subnet where your resources reside. Deny all outbound traffic to 0.0.0.0/0 and all inbound traffic from 0.0.0.0/0 to completely isolate the subnet from the Internet.
- Key Difference: NACLs are stateless (rules apply independently to inbound and outbound traffic), whereas Security Groups/Azure NSGs are stateful (return traffic is automatically allowed).
Removing or Detaching Public IP Addresses:
- Concept: Cloud instances often have a public IP address assigned for direct Internet accessibility.
- Action: Detach or disassociate the public IP address (or Elastic IP in AWS) from your virtual machine or load balancer. Without a public IP, the instance can only be accessed via private IP addresses within its Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) or Virtual Network (VNet).
Internet Gateways / NAT Gateways:
- Concept: Internet Gateways (AWS) or similar constructs in other clouds allow resources in a VPC/VNet to communicate with the Internet. NAT Gateways allow resources in private subnets to initiate outbound connections to the Internet while remaining unaddressable from the Internet.
- Action:
  - For inbound access: Ensure no route tables associated with your public subnets point to an Internet Gateway for 0.0.0.0/0.
  - For outbound access from private subnets: Remove routes to NAT Gateways if you wish to block all outbound Internet access from private instances.

Summary of Cloud Internet Access Disabling Methods

Method	Cloud Type	Description	Impact
Dashboard Settings	Personal NAS	Disable "Cloud Access" or "Remote Access" features via the device's web or mobile app dashboard.	Prevents remote access from the Internet, local access may remain.
Physical Disconnection	Personal NAS	Disconnect the Ethernet cable from the device.	Complete isolation from both local network and Internet.
Router Firewall	Personal NAS	Block device's IP/MAC address at the router level.	Isolates the device from the Internet, allowing local network access.
Security Groups/NSGs	Public Cloud (VMs)	Configure rules to deny inbound/outbound traffic to/from `0.0.0.0/0` at the instance/resource level.	Granular control over individual resource Internet access.
NACLs/Subnet Firewalls	Public Cloud (Subnets)	Configure rules to deny inbound/outbound traffic to/from `0.0.0.0/0` at the subnet level.	Isolates entire subnets from the Internet.
Remove Public IPs	Public Cloud (VMs)	Detach or do not assign public IP addresses to your instances.	Resources only accessible via private networks within the cloud.
Modify Route Tables	Public Cloud (VPCs)	Remove routes to Internet Gateways or NAT Gateways for specific subnets.	Prevents instances from reaching or being reached by the Internet at the network level.

By carefully applying these methods, you can effectively disable Internet access for your cloud resources, enhancing security and meeting specific operational requirements. Always test configurations thoroughly to ensure desired access levels are maintained without unintended side effects.