Ensure log metric filter and alerts exist for Audit Configuration Changes

From Console

Create the prescribed log metric:

1. Go to Logging/Logs-based Metrics by visiting https://console.cloud.google.com/logs/metrics and click "CREATE METRIC".
2. Click the down arrow symbol on the Filter Bar at the rightmost corner and select Convert to Advanced Filter.
3. Clear any text and add:

protoPayload.methodName="SetIamPolicy" AND
protoPayload.serviceData.policyDelta.auditConfigDeltas:*

1. Click Submit Filter. Display logs appear based on the filter text entered by the user.
2. In the Metric Editor menu on the right, fill out the name field. Set Units to 1 (default) and Type to Counter. This will ensure that the log metric counts the number of log entries matching the user's advanced logs query.
3. Click Create Metric.

Create a prescribed Alert Policy:

1. Identify the new metric the user just created, under the section User-defined Metrics at https://console.cloud.google.com/logs/metrics.
2. Click the 3-dot icon in the rightmost column for the new metric and select Create alert from Metric. A new page opens.
3. Fill out the alert policy configuration and click Save. Choose the alerting threshold and configuration that makes sense for the organization. For example, a threshold of zero(0) for the most recent value will ensure that a notification is triggered for every owner change in the project:

Set `Aggregator` to `Count`
Set `Configuration`:
- Condition: above
- Threshold: 0
- For: most recent value

1. Configure the desired notifications channels in the section Notifications.
2. Name the policy and click Save.

From Command Line

Create a prescribed Log Metric:

• Use the command: gcloud beta logging metrics create.
• Reference for Command Usage https://cloud.google.com/sdk/gcloud/reference/beta/logging/metrics/create.

Create a prescribed Alert Policy:

• Use the command: gcloud alpha monitoring policies create.
• Reference for Command Usage https://cloud.google.com/sdk/gcloud/reference/alpha/monitoring/policies/create.

Multiple Remediation Paths

Google Cloud

SERVICE-WIDE (RECOMMENDED when many resources are affected): Enforce Organization Policies at org/folder level so new resources inherit secure defaults.

gcloud org-policies set-policy policy.yaml

ASSET-LEVEL: Use the product-specific remediation steps above for only the impacted project/resources.

PREVENTIVE: Use org policy constraints/custom constraints and enforce checks in deployment pipelines.

References for Service-Wide Patterns

• GCP Organization Policy overview: https://cloud.google.com/resource-manager/docs/organization-policy/overview
• GCP Organization policy constraints catalog: https://cloud.google.com/resource-manager/docs/organization-policy/org-policy-constraints
• gcloud org-policies: https://cloud.google.com/sdk/gcloud/reference/org-policies

Operational Rollout Workflow

Use this sequence to reduce risk and avoid repeated drift.

1. Contain at Service-Wide Scope First (Recommended)

• Google Cloud: apply organization policy constraints at org/folder scope.

gcloud org-policies set-policy policy.yaml

2. Remediate Existing Affected Assets

• Execute the control-specific Console/CLI steps documented above for each flagged resource.
• Prioritize internet-exposed and production assets first.

3. Validate and Prevent Recurrence

• Re-scan after each remediation batch.
• Track exceptions with owner and expiry date.
• Add preventive checks in IaC/CI pipelines.