2.16 Ensure Logging is enabled for HTTP(S) Load Balancer

Warning! Audit Deprecated

This audit has been deprecated and will be removed in a future update.

View Next Audit Version

Information

Logging enabled on a HTTPS Load Balancer will show all network traffic and its destination.

Rationale:

Logging will allow you to view HTTPS network traffic to your web applications.

Impact:

On high use systems with a high percentage sample rate, the logging file may grow to high capacity in a short amount of time. Ensure that the sample rate is set appropriately so that storage costs are not exorbitant.

Solution

From Google Cloud Console

From Google Cloud home open the Navigation Menu in the top left.

Under the Networking heading select Network services.

Select the HTTPS load-balancer you wish to audit.

Select Edit then Backend Configuration.

Select Edit on the corresponding backend service.

Click Enable Logging.

Set Sample Rate to a desired value. This is a percentage as a decimal point. 1.0 is 100%.

From Google Cloud CLI

Run the following command

gcloud compute backend-services update <serviceName> --region=REGION --enable-logging --logging-sample-rate=<percentageAsADecimal>

Default Value:

By default logging for https load balancing is disabled. When logging is enabled it sets the default sample rate as 1.0 or 100%. Ensure this value fits the need of your organization to avoid high storage costs.

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/benchmarks/9562