huntrule

GCP Google Workspace: Application ContextAwareAccess Setting Changed

Alerts on Google Workspace application setting changes affecting ContextAwareAccess access levels.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v4
Product
gcp
Service
google_workspace.admin
Author
Bryan Lim (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2024-01-12
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Persistence → Priv Esc

  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Defense Evasion

  8. Cred Access

  9. Discovery

  10. Lateral Movement

  11. Collection

  12. C2

  13. Exfiltration

  14. Impact

What it detects

This rule identifies Google Workspace admin events where an application setting beginning with ContextAwareAccess is modified via the admin.googleapis.com CHANGE_APPLICATION_SETTING activity. Changing these access levels can reduce enforcement controls and help an attacker broaden access to Workspace resources. It relies on Google Workspace administrative audit telemetry capturing the event service, event name, and setting_name prefix.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1098.003 — drag to rearrange
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Suspicious AWS IAM Privilege Escalation via AttachUserPolicy of Administrator Policy
Suspicious Member Added to Privileged Directory Role in Entra ID
Suspicious High-Privilege Microsoft Graph Application Role Grant via Azure Audit (via azure)
GitHub Audit: Outside Collaborator Membership and Permission Changes
GCP Google Workspace: Application ContextAwareAccess Setting Changed
Pivot detection · T1098.003 · 9 related

Changelog

v4
  1. v4
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  2. v3
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  3. v2
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  4. v1
    No changelog recorded for this version.2026-07-30

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.