Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)

methodNameDescriptionLog typeSampleRule
anyCatch-all entry for container.googleapis.com. Source-only rules that attribute to the service without a specific method attribute here. Not a distinct audit log operation.activityNN
google.container.ClusterManager.CreateClusterCreates a cluster, consisting of the specified number and type of Google Compute Engine instances.activityYN
google.container.ClusterManager.DeleteClusterDeletes the cluster, including the Kubernetes endpoint and all worker nodes.activityYN
google.container.ClusterManager.UpdateClusterUpdates the settings for a specific cluster.activityNN
google.container.ClusterManager.SetMasterAuthSets master auth materials. Currently supports changing the admin password or a specific cluster, either via password generation or explicitly setting the password.activityNN
google.container.ClusterManager.SetNetworkPolicyEnables/Disables Network Policy for a cluster.activityNN
google.container.ClusterManager.CreateNodePoolCreates a node pool for a cluster.activityNN
google.container.ClusterManager.DeleteNodePoolDeletes a node pool from a cluster.activityNN
google.container.ClusterManager.GetClusterRead GKE cluster configuration.data_accessYN
google.container.ClusterManager.GetOperationRead a GKE cluster operation.data_accessYN
google.container.ClusterManager.ListClustersList GKE clusters in a project and location.data_accessYN

any: container.googleapis.com (any method)

#
ServiceName
container.googleapis.com

Description

Catch-all entry for container.googleapis.com. Source-only rules that attribute to the service without a specific method attribute here. Not a distinct audit log operation.

google.container.ClusterManager.CreateCluster: Create cluster

#
ServiceName
container.googleapis.com

Description

Creates a cluster, consisting of the specified number and type of Google Compute Engine instances.

Example Audit Log Entry #

{
  "insertId": "50rah6d82nr",
  "logName": "projects/example-project-id/logs/cloudaudit.googleapis.com%2Factivity",
  "operation": {
    "id": "operation-1782743490978-c216f4b5-62b5-45d5-9ecc-a651916f869f",
    "last": true,
    "producer": "container.googleapis.com"
  },
  "protoPayload": {
    "@type": "type.googleapis.com/google.cloud.audit.AuditLog",
    "metadata": {
      "@type": "type.googleapis.com/google.cloud.audit.GkeRequestMetadata",
      "operationType": "CREATE_CLUSTER",
      "requestID": "0xa340b8edddf296cb"
    },
    "methodName": "google.container.v1.ClusterManager.CreateCluster",
    "policyViolationInfo": {
      "orgPolicyViolationInfo": {}
    },
    "resourceLocation": {
      "currentLocations": [
        "us-central1-a"
      ]
    },
    "resourceName": "projects/example-project-id/zones/us-central1-a/clusters/dwgke-dw743447",
    "serviceName": "container.googleapis.com",
    "status": {}
  },
  "receiveTimestamp": "2026-06-29T14:35:22.334313131Z",
  "resource": {
    "labels": {
      "cluster_name": "dwgke-dw743447",
      "location": "us-central1-a",
      "project_id": "example-project-id"
    },
    "type": "gke_cluster"
  },
  "severity": "NOTICE",
  "timestamp": "2026-06-29T14:35:21.661007101Z"
}

References #

google.container.ClusterManager.DeleteCluster: Delete cluster

#
ServiceName
container.googleapis.com

Description

Deletes the cluster, including the Kubernetes endpoint and all worker nodes.

Example Audit Log Entry #

{
  "insertId": "12umtrbdcj73",
  "logName": "projects/example-project-id/logs/cloudaudit.googleapis.com%2Factivity",
  "operation": {
    "first": true,
    "id": "operation-1782744010254-a2f38d24-3e04-4df7-a0d1-e082de95a876",
    "producer": "container.googleapis.com"
  },
  "protoPayload": {
    "@type": "type.googleapis.com/google.cloud.audit.AuditLog",
    "authenticationInfo": {
      "oauthInfo": {
        "oauthClientId": "32555940559.apps.googleusercontent.com"
      },
      "principalEmail": "user@example.com",
      "principalSubject": "user:user@example.com"
    },
    "authorizationInfo": [
      {
        "granted": true,
        "permission": "container.clusters.delete",
        "permissionType": "ADMIN_WRITE",
        "resource": "projects/example-project-id/zones/us-central1-a/clusters/dwgke-dw743447",
        "resourceAttributes": {
          "name": "projects/example-project-id/zones/us-central1-a/clusters/dwgke-dw743447",
          "service": "container.googleapis.com",
          "type": "container.googleapis.com/Cluster"
        }
      }
    ],
    "metadata": {
      "@type": "type.googleapis.com/google.cloud.audit.GkeRequestMetadata",
      "requestID": "0x2ae8d1483ad898dc"
    },
    "methodName": "google.container.v1.ClusterManager.DeleteCluster",
    "policyViolationInfo": {
      "orgPolicyViolationInfo": {}
    },
    "request": {
      "@type": "type.googleapis.com/google.container.v1alpha1.DeleteClusterRequest",
      "name": "projects/example-project-id/locations/us-central1-a/clusters/dwgke-dw743447"
    },
    "requestMetadata": {
      "callerIp": "203.0.113.10",
      "callerSuppliedUserAgent": "google-cloud-sdk gcloud/574.0.0 agent-name/claude_code command/gcloud.container.clusters.delete invocation-id/4270211657d94fc683055471145bf4ea environment/None environment-version/None client-os/LINUX client-os-ver/6.1.0 client-pltf-arch/x86_64 interactive/False from-script/False python/3.14.5 term/tmux-256color  (Linux 6.1.0-41-amd64),gzip(gfe)",
      "destinationAttributes": {},
      "requestAttributes": {
        "auth": {},
        "time": "2026-06-29T14:40:10.101886456Z"
      }
    },
    "resourceLocation": {
      "currentLocations": [
        "us-central1-a"
      ]
    },
    "resourceName": "projects/example-project-id/zones/us-central1-a/clusters/dwgke-dw743447",
    "response": {
      "@type": "type.googleapis.com/google.container.v1alpha1.Operation",
      "name": "operation-1782744010254-a2f38d24-3e04-4df7-a0d1-e082de95a876",
      "operationType": "DELETE_CLUSTER",
      "selfLink": "https://container.googleapis.com/v1alpha1/projects/000000000000/zones/us-central1-a/operations/operation-1782744010254-a2f38d24-3e04-4df7-a0d1-e082de95a876",
      "startTime": "2026-06-29T14:40:10.254171619Z",
      "status": "RUNNING",
      "targetLink": "https://container.googleapis.com/v1alpha1/projects/000000000000/zones/us-central1-a/clusters/dwgke-dw743447"
    },
    "serviceName": "container.googleapis.com",
    "status": {}
  },
  "receiveTimestamp": "2026-06-29T14:40:10.685356588Z",
  "resource": {
    "labels": {
      "cluster_name": "dwgke-dw743447",
      "location": "us-central1-a",
      "project_id": "example-project-id"
    },
    "type": "gke_cluster"
  },
  "severity": "NOTICE",
  "timestamp": "2026-06-29T14:40:10.418082165Z"
}

google.container.ClusterManager.UpdateCluster: Update cluster

#
ServiceName
container.googleapis.com

Description

Updates the settings for a specific cluster.

google.container.ClusterManager.SetMasterAuth: Set master auth

#
ServiceName
container.googleapis.com

Description

Sets master auth materials. Currently supports changing the admin password or a specific cluster, either via password generation or explicitly setting the password.

google.container.ClusterManager.SetNetworkPolicy: Set network policy

#
ServiceName
container.googleapis.com

Description

Enables/Disables Network Policy for a cluster.

google.container.ClusterManager.CreateNodePool: Create node pool

#
ServiceName
container.googleapis.com

Description

Creates a node pool for a cluster.

google.container.ClusterManager.DeleteNodePool: Delete node pool

#
ServiceName
container.googleapis.com

Description

Deletes a node pool from a cluster.

google.container.ClusterManager.GetCluster: GetCluster

#
ServiceName
container.googleapis.com

Description

Read GKE cluster configuration.

Data Access audit logs are disabled by default.

Example Audit Log Entry #

{
  "insertId": "1vfq5u1d89lg",
  "logName": "projects/example-project-id/logs/cloudaudit.googleapis.com%2Fdata_access",
  "protoPayload": {
    "@type": "type.googleapis.com/google.cloud.audit.AuditLog",
    "authenticationInfo": {
      "oauthInfo": {
        "oauthClientId": "110162197178770594910"
      },
      "principalEmail": "service-000000000000@container-engine-robot.iam.gserviceaccount.com",
      "principalSubject": "serviceAccount:service-000000000000@container-engine-robot.iam.gserviceaccount.com"
    },
    "authorizationInfo": [
      {
        "granted": true,
        "permission": "container.clusters.get",
        "permissionType": "ADMIN_READ",
        "resource": "projects/example-project-id/zones/us-central1-a/clusters/dwgke-dw743447",
        "resourceAttributes": {
          "name": "projects/example-project-id/zones/us-central1-a/clusters/dwgke-dw743447",
          "service": "container.googleapis.com",
          "type": "container.googleapis.com/Cluster"
        }
      }
    ],
    "metadata": {
      "@type": "type.googleapis.com/google.cloud.audit.GkeRequestMetadata",
      "requestID": "0xf37256246e92c21"
    },
    "methodName": "google.container.v1beta1.ClusterManager.GetCluster",
    "policyViolationInfo": {
      "orgPolicyViolationInfo": {}
    },
    "request": {
      "@type": "type.googleapis.com/google.container.v1alpha1.GetClusterRequest",
      "name": "projects/example-project-id/locations/us-central1-a/clusters/dwgke-dw743447"
    },
    "requestMetadata": {
      "callerIp": "203.0.113.10",
      "callerSuppliedUserAgent": "google-api-go-client/0.5 cluster-autoscaler,gzip(gfe)",
      "destinationAttributes": {},
      "requestAttributes": {
        "auth": {},
        "time": "2026-06-29T14:39:56.211872459Z"
      }
    },
    "resourceLocation": {
      "currentLocations": [
        "us-central1-a"
      ]
    },
    "resourceName": "projects/example-project-id/zones/us-central1-a/clusters/dwgke-dw743447",
    "serviceName": "container.googleapis.com",
    "status": {}
  },
  "receiveTimestamp": "2026-06-29T14:39:56.686040517Z",
  "resource": {
    "labels": {
      "cluster_name": "dwgke-dw743447",
      "location": "us-central1-a",
      "project_id": "example-project-id"
    },
    "type": "gke_cluster"
  },
  "severity": "INFO",
  "timestamp": "2026-06-29T14:39:56.218111Z"
}

google.container.ClusterManager.GetOperation: GetOperation

#
ServiceName
container.googleapis.com

Description

Read a GKE cluster operation.

Data Access audit logs are disabled by default.

Example Audit Log Entry #

{
  "insertId": "33m2gjc5rk",
  "logName": "projects/example-project-id/logs/cloudaudit.googleapis.com%2Fdata_access",
  "protoPayload": {
    "@type": "type.googleapis.com/google.cloud.audit.AuditLog",
    "authenticationInfo": {
      "oauthInfo": {
        "oauthClientId": "32555940559.apps.googleusercontent.com"
      },
      "principalEmail": "user@example.com",
      "principalSubject": "user:user@example.com"
    },
    "authorizationInfo": [
      {
        "granted": true,
        "permission": "container.operations.get",
        "permissionType": "ADMIN_READ",
        "resource": "projects/example-project-id/zones/us-central1-a/operations/operation-1782744010254-a2f38d24-3e04-4df7-a0d1-e082de95a876",
        "resourceAttributes": {
          "name": "projects/example-project-id/zones/us-central1-a/operations/operation-1782744010254-a2f38d24-3e04-4df7-a0d1-e082de95a876",
          "service": "container.googleapis.com",
          "type": "container.googleapis.com/Operation"
        }
      }
    ],
    "metadata": {
      "@type": "type.googleapis.com/google.cloud.audit.GkeRequestMetadata",
      "requestID": "0x5c944576e25ee843"
    },
    "methodName": "google.container.v1.ClusterManager.GetOperation",
    "policyViolationInfo": {
      "orgPolicyViolationInfo": {}
    },
    "request": {
      "@type": "type.googleapis.com/google.container.v1alpha1.GetOperationRequest",
      "name": "projects/example-project-id/locations/us-central1-a/operations/operation-1782744010254-a2f38d24-3e04-4df7-a0d1-e082de95a876"
    },
    "requestMetadata": {
      "callerIp": "203.0.113.10",
      "callerSuppliedUserAgent": "google-cloud-sdk gcloud/574.0.0 agent-name/claude_code command/gcloud.container.clusters.delete invocation-id/4270211657d94fc683055471145bf4ea environment/None environment-version/None client-os/LINUX client-os-ver/6.1.0 client-pltf-arch/x86_64 interactive/False from-script/False python/3.14.5 term/tmux-256color  (Linux 6.1.0-41-amd64),gzip(gfe)",
      "destinationAttributes": {},
      "requestAttributes": {
        "auth": {},
        "time": "2026-06-29T14:44:31.472369176Z"
      }
    },
    "resourceLocation": {
      "currentLocations": [
        "us-central1-a"
      ]
    },
    "resourceName": "projects/example-project-id/zones/us-central1-a/operations/operation-1782744010254-a2f38d24-3e04-4df7-a0d1-e082de95a876",
    "serviceName": "container.googleapis.com",
    "status": {}
  },
  "receiveTimestamp": "2026-06-29T14:44:31.664633048Z",
  "resource": {
    "labels": {
      "cluster_name": "",
      "location": "us-central1-a",
      "project_id": "example-project-id"
    },
    "type": "gke_cluster"
  },
  "severity": "INFO",
  "timestamp": "2026-06-29T14:44:31.472406426Z"
}

google.container.ClusterManager.ListClusters: ListClusters

#
ServiceName
container.googleapis.com

Description

List GKE clusters in a project and location.

Data Access audit logs are disabled by default.

Example Audit Log Entry #

{
  "insertId": "dvhvsgd2wxg",
  "logName": "projects/example-project-id/logs/cloudaudit.googleapis.com%2Fdata_access",
  "protoPayload": {
    "@type": "type.googleapis.com/google.cloud.audit.AuditLog",
    "authenticationInfo": {
      "oauthInfo": {
        "oauthClientId": "32555940559.apps.googleusercontent.com"
      },
      "principalEmail": "user@example.com",
      "principalSubject": "user:user@example.com"
    },
    "authorizationInfo": [
      {
        "granted": true,
        "permission": "container.clusters.list",
        "permissionType": "ADMIN_READ",
        "resource": "projects/example-project-id",
        "resourceAttributes": {
          "name": "projects/example-project-id",
          "service": "cloudresourcemanager.googleapis.com",
          "type": "cloudresourcemanager.googleapis.com/Project"
        }
      }
    ],
    "metadata": {
      "@type": "type.googleapis.com/google.cloud.audit.GkeRequestMetadata",
      "requestID": "0x1e644c57b0be394c"
    },
    "methodName": "google.container.v1alpha1.ClusterManager.ListClusters",
    "policyViolationInfo": {
      "orgPolicyViolationInfo": {}
    },
    "request": {
      "@type": "type.googleapis.com/google.container.v1.ListClustersRequest",
      "parent": "projects/example-project-id/locations/-"
    },
    "requestMetadata": {
      "callerIp": "203.0.113.10",
      "callerSuppliedUserAgent": "google-cloud-sdk gcloud/574.0.0 agent-name/claude_code command/gcloud.container.clusters.list invocation-id/5529314701674c2cb621f23701706c3b environment/None environment-version/None client-os/LINUX client-os-ver/6.1.0 client-pltf-arch/x86_64 interactive/False from-script/True python/3.14.5 term/tmux-256color  (Linux 6.1.0-41-amd64),gzip(gfe)",
      "destinationAttributes": {},
      "requestAttributes": {
        "auth": {},
        "time": "2026-06-29T13:18:09.637354628Z"
      }
    },
    "resourceLocation": {
      "currentLocations": [
        ""
      ]
    },
    "resourceName": "projects/example-project-id/locations/-",
    "serviceName": "container.googleapis.com",
    "status": {}
  },
  "receiveTimestamp": "2026-06-29T13:18:10.122096146Z",
  "resource": {
    "labels": {
      "cluster_name": "",
      "location": "",
      "project_id": "example-project-id"
    },
    "type": "gke_cluster"
  },
  "severity": "INFO",
  "timestamp": "2026-06-29T13:18:09.944855125Z"
}