---
title: A log metric filter and alert should exist for custom role changes
description: Datadog, the leading service for cloud-scale monitoring.
breadcrumbs: >-
  Docs > Datadog Security > OOTB Rules > A log metric filter and alert should
  exist for custom role changes
---

# A log metric filter and alert should exist for custom role changes
 
## Description{% #description %}

It is recommended that a metric filter and alarm be established for changes to Identity and Access Management (IAM) role creation, deletion and updating activities.

## Rationale{% #rationale %}

Google Cloud IAM provides predefined roles that give granular access to specific Google Cloud Platform resources and prevent unwanted access to other resources. However, to cater to organization-specific needs, Cloud IAM also provides the ability to create custom roles. Project owners and administrators with the Organization Role Administrator role or the IAM Role Administrator role can create custom roles. Monitoring role creation, deletion and updating activities helps identify any over-privileged role an early stage.

### Impact{% #impact %}

Enabling logging may result in your project being charged for the additional logs usage.

## Remediation{% #remediation %}

### From the console{% #from-the-console %}

#### Create the prescribed log metric{% #create-the-prescribed-log-metric %}

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

```gdscript3
   resource.type="iam_role"
   AND (protoPayload.methodName = "google.iam.admin.v1.CreateRole"
   OR protoPayload.methodName="google.iam.admin.v1.DeleteRole"
   OR protoPayload.methodName="google.iam.admin.v1.UpdateRole")
```
Click Submit Filter. Display logs appear based on the filter text entered by the user.In the Metric Editor menu on the right, fill out the name field. Set Units to 1 (default) and Type to Counter. This ensures that the log metric counts the number of log entries matching the advanced logs query.Click **Create Metric**.
#### Create a prescribed alert policy{% #create-a-prescribed-alert-policy %}

1. Go to [https://console.cloud.google.com/logs/metrics](https://console.cloud.google.com/logs/metrics). Under the **User-defined Metrics** section, identify the newly created metric.
1. Click the kebab icon in the rightmost column for the new metric and select **Create alert from Metric**.
1. Fill out the alert policy configuration and click **Save**. Choose the alerting threshold and configuration that makes sense for the user's organization. For example, a threshold of zero(0) for the most recent value ensures that a notification is triggered for every owner change in the project:

```mysql
   Set `Aggregator` to `Count`
   Set `Configuration`:
   - Condition: above
   - Threshold: 0
   - For: most recent value
```
Configure the desired notification channels in the section **Notifications**.Name the policy and click **Save**.
### From the command line{% #from-the-command-line %}

#### Create a prescribed log metric{% #create-a-prescribed-log-metric %}

Use the command: `gcloud logging metrics create` Reference for command usage: [https://cloud.google.com/sdk/gcloud/reference/beta/logging/metrics/create](https://cloud.google.com/sdk/gcloud/reference/beta/logging/metrics/create)

#### Create a prescribed alert policy{% #create-a-prescribed-alert-policy-1 %}

Use the command: `gcloud alpha monitoring policies create` Reference for command usage: [https://cloud.google.com/sdk/gcloud/reference/alpha/monitoring/policies/create](https://cloud.google.com/sdk/gcloud/reference/alpha/monitoring/policies/create)

## References{% #references %}

1. [https://cloud.google.com/logging/docs/logs-based-metrics/](https://cloud.google.com/logging/docs/logs-based-metrics/)
1. [https://cloud.google.com/monitoring/custom-metrics/](https://cloud.google.com/monitoring/custom-metrics/)
1. [https://cloud.google.com/monitoring/alerts/](https://cloud.google.com/monitoring/alerts/)
1. [https://cloud.google.com/logging/docs/reference/tools/gcloud-logging](https://cloud.google.com/logging/docs/reference/tools/gcloud-logging)
1. [https://cloud.google.com/iam/docs/understanding-custom-roles](https://cloud.google.com/iam/docs/understanding-custom-roles)