# Cis Gke V180 5.7.1

> Ensure Logging and Cloud Monitoring is Enabled (Automated)

- Skill: `cyberstrikeus/cis-gke-v180-5-7-1` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add cyberstrikeus/cis-gke-v180-5-7-1`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/cyberstrikeus/cis-gke-v180-5-7-1/raw
- Safety review: PASS (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: DevOps & Infra
- Author: cyberstrikeus (https://skillmd.com/u/cyberstrikeus)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/cyberstrikeus/cis-gke-v180-5-7-1

---


# 5.7.1 Ensure Logging and Cloud Monitoring is Enabled (Automated)

## Profile Applicability

- Level 1

## Description

Send logs and metrics to a remote aggregator to mitigate the risk of local tampering in the event of a breach.

## Rationale

Exporting logs and metrics to a dedicated, persistent datastore such as Cloud Operations for GKE ensures availability of audit data following a cluster security event, and provides a central location for analysis of log and metric data collated from multiple sources.

## Audit

Using Google Cloud Console:
LOGGING AND CLOUD MONITORING SUPPORT (PREFERRED):

1. Go to Kubernetes Engine by visiting https://console.cloud.google.com/kubernetes/list.
2. From the list of clusters, click on the cluster of interest.
3. Under the details pane, within the Features section, ensure that `Logging` is `Enabled`.
4. Also ensure that `Cloud Monitoring` is `Enabled`.

LEGACY STACKDRIVER SUPPORT:
This option cannot be check in the GCP console.

Using Command Line:
LOGGING AND CLOUD MONITORING SUPPORT (PREFERRED):
First define 2 variable for Cluster Name and Zone and then run the following commands:

```
gcloud container clusters describe $CLUSTER_NAME --zone $COMPUTE_ZONE --format json | jq '.loggingService'
gcloud container clusters describe $CLUSTER_NAME --zone $COMPUTE_ZONE --format json | jq '.monitoringService'
```

The output of the above commands should return `logging.googleapis.com/kubernetes` and `monitoring.googleapis.com/kubernetes` respectively if Logging and Cloud Monitoring is Enabled.

LEGACY STACKDRIVER SUPPORT:
Note: This functionality was decommissioned on 31st March 2021, kept here for posterity (see: https://cloud.google.com/stackdriver/docs/deprecations/legacy for more information)
Both Logging and Monitoring support must be enabled.
For Logging, run the following command:

```
gcloud container clusters describe $CLUSTER_NAME --zone $COMPUTE_ZONE --format json | jq '.loggingService'
```

The output should return `logging.googleapis.com` if Legacy Stackdriver Logging is Enabled.
For Monitoring, run the following command:

```
gcloud container clusters describe $CLUSTER_NAME --zone $COMPUTE_ZONE --format json | jq '.monitoringService'
```

The output should return `monitoring.googleapis.com` if Legacy Stackdriver Monitoring is Enabled.

## Remediation

Using Google Cloud Console:
To enable Logging:

1. Go to Kubernetes Engine by visiting: https://console.cloud.google.com/kubernetes/list.
2. Select the cluster for which Logging is disabled.
3. Under the details pane, within the Features section, click on the pencil icon named `Edit logging`.
4. Check the box next to `Enable Logging`.
5. In the drop-down Components box, select the components to be logged.
6. Click `SAVE CHANGES`, and wait for the cluster to update.

To enable Cloud Monitoring:

1. Go to Kubernetes Engine by visiting: https://console.cloud.google.com/kubernetes/list.
2. Select the cluster for which Logging is disabled.
3. Under the details pane, within the Features section, click on the pencil icon named `Edit Cloud Monitoring`.
4. Check the box next to `Enable Cloud Monitoring`.
5. In the drop-down Components box, select the components to be logged.
6. Click `SAVE CHANGES`, and wait for the cluster to update.

Using Command Line:
To enable Logging for an existing cluster, run the following command:

```
gcloud container clusters update <cluster_name> --zone <compute_zone> --logging=<components_to_be_logged>
```

See https://cloud.google.com/sdk/gcloud/reference/container/clusters/update#--logging for a list of available components for logging.

To enable Cloud Monitoring for an existing cluster, run the following command:

```
gcloud container clusters update <cluster_name> --zone <compute_zone> --monitoring=<components_to_be_logged>
```

See https://cloud.google.com/sdk/gcloud/reference/container/clusters/update#--monitoring for a list of available components for Cloud Monitoring.

## Default Value

Logging and Cloud Monitoring is enabled by default starting in GKE version 1.14; Legacy Logging and Monitoring support is enabled by default for earlier versions.

## References

1. https://cloud.google.com/stackdriver/docs/solutions/gke/observing
2. https://cloud.google.com/stackdriver/docs/solutions/gke/managing-logs
3. https://cloud.google.com/stackdriver/docs/solutions/gke/installing
4. https://cloud.google.com/sdk/gcloud/reference/container/clusters/update#--logging
5. https://cloud.google.com/sdk/gcloud/reference/container/clusters/update#--monitoring

## CIS Controls

| Controls Version | Control                    | IG 1 | IG 2 | IG 3 |
| ---------------- | -------------------------- | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| v8               | 8.2 Collect Audit Logs     | x    | x    | x    |
| v7               | 6.2 Activate audit logging | x    | x    | x    |