---
title: CloudTrail configuration changes should be monitored
description: Datadog, the leading service for cloud-scale monitoring.
breadcrumbs: >-
  Docs > Datadog Security > OOTB Rules > CloudTrail configuration changes should
  be monitored
---

# CloudTrail configuration changes should be monitored
 
## Description{% #description %}

Real-time monitoring of API calls can be achieved by directing CloudTrail logs to CloudWatch logs and establishing corresponding metric filters and alarms. It is recommended to establish a metric filter and alarm for detecting changes to CloudTrail's configurations to ensure sustained visibility of activities performed in the AWS account.

## Remediation{% #remediation %}

For instructions on setting up CloudWatch metric filters and alarms for CloudTrail configuration changes, refer to the [AWS CloudWatch Alarms for CloudTrail User Guide](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/awscloudtrail/latest/userguide/cloudwatch-alarms-for-cloudtrail.html).

```plaintext
aws logs put-metric-filter --log-group-name <cloudtrail_log_group_name> \
--filter-name <cloudtrail_cfg_changes_metric> --metric-transformations \
metricName=<cloudtrail_cfg_changes_metric>,metricNamespace='CISBenchmark',metricValue=1 \
--filter-pattern '{ ($.eventName = CreateTrail) || ($.eventName = UpdateTrail) || ($.eventName = DeleteTrail) || \
($.eventName = StartLogging) || ($.eventName = StopLogging) }'
```

You can choose your own `metricName` and `metricNamespace` strings. Use the same `metricNamespace` for all Foundations Benchmark metrics to group them together.