Fabric SQL Analytics Endpoint to Power BI Desktop Security Concerns

[ERWeiss]

I am currently struggling with a Fabric/Power BI implementation. Our security team has concerns over the public connection from the Fabric service to power bi desktop. The organization currently closes the sql port on the network. I have not encountered this limitation in the past and am trying to figure out how to appropriately work around these security measures.

I am aware of the private endpoints that are available through Azure; however, what I am hoping to understand better are two things, if we create private endpoints, will that enable access through SQL endpoint even with that port blocked?

The second item is to understand what security measures are currently in place between Fabric SQL Endpoint with public internet and desktop Power BI? I believe from a Power BI security whitepaper:

"Data in transit

Power BI requires all incoming HTTP traffic to be encrypted using TLS 1.2 or above. Any requests attempting to use the service with TLS 1.1 or lower will be rejected"

We do allow connection via Direct Lake and appear from a security standpoint to be ok with that method, as a non-security individual, I am unsure of the rationale between the two.

I have come across the list of items to be aware of when implementing private endpoints,  and the obvious standout is transitioning on prem gateways to vnet; however, If anyone has implemented the private endpoints, is there anything else to be particularly aware of? 

[Anonymous]

Hi @ERWeiss,

May I ask if you have gotten this issue resolved?

Have you raised this issue in the Fabric forum? Is there any update from that forum?

If it is solved, please mark the helpful reply or share your solution and accept it as solution, it will be helpful for other members of the community who have similar problems as yours to solve it faster.

Regards,
Vinay Pabbu

[Anonymous]

Hi @ERWeiss,

May I ask if you have gotten this issue resolved?

If it is solved, please mark the helpful reply or share your solution and accept it as solution, it will be helpful for other members of the community who have similar problems as yours to solve it faster.

Regards,
Vinay Pabbu

[Anonymous]

Hi @ERWeiss,

May I ask if you have gotten this issue resolved?

If it is solved, please mark the helpful reply or share your solution and accept it as solution, it will be helpful for other members of the community who have similar problems as yours to solve it faster.

Regards,
Vinay Pabbu

[mariussve1 · Accepted solution]

Hey there,

First, I have to say that this is a topic I don’t know a lot about. I also get the impression that this forum has a lot of expertise in Power BI, DAX, Power Query, etc., but not as much in networking, security, and related topics.

I’d therefore also recommend posting this question on the Fabric forum:

https://community.fabric.microsoft.com/t5/Fabric-platform/bd-p/ac_generaldiscussion

Hope you get better answers there!