Google Workspace Custom Admin Role Created
Detects when a custom administrative role is created in Google Workspace. Unlike prebuilt admin roles, custom roles allow granular selection of privileges across Google services and can be assigned to users or…
Description
Detects when a custom administrative role is created in Google Workspace. Unlike prebuilt admin roles, custom roles allow granular selection of privileges across Google services and can be assigned to users or groups. Adversaries may create a custom admin role to craft elevated permissions tailored to their objectives, then assign that role to a compromised or attacker-controlled account to establish persistence and enable follow-on actions such as modifying security controls, granting OAuth access, or changing mail routing.
Detection logic
Its licence does not clear it for publishing here
Sunturai publishes a detection's own text where the licence it arrived under has been reviewed and permits it, and Elastic License 2.0 has not. The query as its source wrote it, its canonical form and the hash that pins this revision are in the workspace record.
Detection requirements
- Platform
- ContainersESXiIaaSIdentity ProviderLinuxmacOSNetwork DevicesOffice SuiteSaaSWindows
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the ATT&CK technique it maps to.
- Log source category
- event_index
Known benign triggers
- Custom Google Workspace admin roles may be created by system administrators. Verify that the configuration change was expected. Exceptions can be added to this rule to filter expected behavior.
MITRE ATT&CK mappings
0 exclusive techniques.This is coverage no other published rule has; it is not this rule's total technique count.
References
| Reference | Cited by |
|---|---|
| support.google.com/a/answer/2406043?hl=en | 3 |
| www.elastic.co/security-labs/google-workspace-attack-surface-part-one | 28 |
| www.elastic.co/security-labs/google-workspace-attack-surface-part-two | 24 |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- ad3f2807-2b3e-47d7-b282-f84acbbe14be
- Tagged by the source as
- Data Source: Google WorkspaceData Source: Google Workspace Audit LogsDomain: CloudDomain: SaaSNoise: LowPerformance: FastPlatform: Google WorkspaceResources: Investigation GuideRule Type: Custom Query (KQL)Tactic: PersistenceTactic: Privilege EscalationUse Case: Identity and Access Audit
Licence
- Published under
- Elastic License 2.0Read the licence
- Attribution
- Required
Authorship
- Written by
- Published
- Sep 20, 2026
- Version
- 3