Cloud Logging and Monitoring

Cloud logging and monitoring form the foundation of security operations in cloud environments. Without comprehensive visibility into what is happening across cloud resources, security teams cannot detect threats, investigate incidents, or demonstrate compliance. Every cloud provider offers native logging services, such as AWS CloudTrail, Azure Monitor, and Google Cloud Logging, that capture API activity, resource changes, and access events.

An effective cloud logging strategy requires centralized log aggregation across all accounts, regions, and services. Logs should be immutable and stored in tamper-proof locations to preserve their integrity for forensic investigations. Key log sources include API activity logs, network flow logs, DNS query logs, identity provider authentication logs, and application-level logs. These should be ingested into a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) platform for correlation and analysis.

Monitoring goes beyond log collection to include real-time alerting on suspicious activity. Detection rules should cover common cloud attack patterns such as unusual API calls, privilege escalation attempts, data exfiltration indicators, and resource creation in unexpected regions. Cloud-native services like AWS GuardDuty and Azure Sentinel provide intelligent threat detection using machine learning. Organizations must also establish incident response runbooks specific to cloud environments, defining how to contain, investigate, and remediate cloud security incidents. Regular testing of detection capabilities through cloud-focused red team exercises ensures that monitoring controls remain effective against evolving threats.