Audit event streaming (ULTIMATE)

• Introduced in GitLab 14.5 with a flag named ff_external_audit_events_namespace. Disabled by default.
• Enabled on GitLab.com and by default on self-managed in GitLab 14.7.
• Feature flag ff_external_audit_events_namespace removed in GitLab 14.8.
• Subgroup events recording fixed in GitLab 15.2.

Users can set an HTTP endpoint for a top-level group to receive all audit events about the group, its subgroups, and projects as structured JSON.

Top-level group owners can manage their audit logs in third-party systems. Any service that can receive structured JSON data can be used as the endpoint.

NOTE: GitLab can stream a single event more than once to the same destination. Use the id key in the payload to deduplicate incoming data.

Add a new event streaming destination

WARNING: Event streaming destinations receive all audit event data, which could include sensitive information. Make sure you trust the destination endpoint.

Use the GitLab UI

Users with at least the Owner role for a group can add event streaming destinations for it:

1. On the top bar, select Menu > Groups and find your group.
2. On the left sidebar, select Security & Compliance > Audit events.
3. On the main area, select Streams tab.
   • When the destination list is empty, select Add stream to show the section for adding destinations.
   • When the destination list is not empty, select {plus} to show the section for adding destinations.
4. Enter the destination URL to add and select Add.

Event streaming is enabled if:

• No warning is shown.
• The added endpoint is displayed in the UI.

Use the API

To enable event streaming and add a destination, users with at least the Owner role for a group must use the externalAuditEventDestinationCreate mutation in the GraphQL API.

mutation {
  externalAuditEventDestinationCreate(input: { destinationUrl: "https://mydomain.io/endpoint/ingest", groupPath: "my-group" } ) {
    errors
    externalAuditEventDestination {
      destinationUrl
      verificationToken
      group {
        name
      }
    }
  }
}

Event streaming is enabled if:

• The returned errors object is empty.
• The API responds with 200 OK.

List streaming destinations

Users with at least the Owner role for a group can list event streaming destinations.

Use the GitLab UI

Introduced in GitLab 14.9.

Users with at least the Owner role for a group can list event streaming destinations:

1. On the top bar, select Menu > Groups and find your group.
2. On the left sidebar, select Security & Compliance > Audit events.
3. On the main area, select Streams tab.

Use the API

Users with at least the Owner role for a group can view a list of event streaming destinations at any time using the externalAuditEventDestinations query type.

query {
  group(fullPath: "my-group") {
    id
    externalAuditEventDestinations {
      nodes {
        destinationUrl
        verificationToken
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

If the resulting list is empty, then audit event streaming is not enabled for that group.

Delete streaming destinations

Users with at least the Owner role for a group can delete event streaming destinations using the deleteAuditEventDestinations mutation type.

When the last destination is successfully deleted, event streaming is disabled for the group.

Use the GitLab UI

Introduced in GitLab 14.9.

Users with at least the Owner role for a group can delete event streaming destinations.

1. On the top bar, select Menu > Groups and find your group.
2. On the left sidebar, select Security & Compliance > Audit events.
3. On the main area, select Streams tab.
4. Select {remove} at the right side of each item.

The external streaming destination is deleted when:

• No warning is shown.
• The deleted endpoint is not displayed in the UI.

Use the API

Delete an event streaming destination by specifying an ID. Get the required ID by listing the details of event streaming destinations.

mutation {
  externalAuditEventDestinationDestroy(input: { id: destination }) {
    errors
  }
}

Destination is deleted if:

• The returned errors object is empty.
• The API responds with 200 OK.

Custom HTTP headers

• API introduced in GitLab 15.1 with a flag named streaming_audit_event_headers. Disabled by default.
• API enabled on GitLab.com and self-managed in GitLab 15.2.
• UI introduced in GitLab 15.2 with a flag named custom_headers_streaming_audit_events_ui. Disabled by default.

FLAG: On self-managed GitLab, by default the API for this feature is available. To hide the feature, ask an administrator to disable the feature flag named streaming_audit_event_headers. On GitLab.com, the API for this feature is available.

Each streaming destination can have up to 20 custom HTTP headers included with each streamed event.

Adding custom HTTP headers

Add custom HTTP headers with the API or GitLab UI.

Use the API

Group owners can add a HTTP header using the GraphQL auditEventsStreamingHeadersCreate mutation. You can retrieve the destination ID by listing the external audit destinations on the group.

mutation {
  auditEventsStreamingHeadersCreate(input: { destinationId: "gid://gitlab/AuditEvents::ExternalAuditEventDestination/24601", key: "foo", value: "bar" }) {
    errors
  }
}

The header is created if the returned errors object is empty.

Use the GitLab UI

FLAG: On self-managed GitLab, by default the UI for this feature is not available. To make it available per group, ask an administrator to enable the feature flag named custom_headers_streaming_audit_events_ui. On GitLab.com, the UI for this feature is not available. The UI for this feature is not ready for production use.

Users with at least the Owner role for a group can add event streaming destinations and custom HTTP headers for it:

1. On the top bar, select Menu > Groups and find your group.
2. On the left sidebar, select Security & Compliance > Audit events.
3. On the main area, select Streams tab.
   • When the destination list is empty, select Add stream to show the section for adding destinations.
   • When the destination list is not empty, select {plus} to show the section for adding destinations.
4. Enter the destination URL to add.
5. Locate the Custom HTTP headers table.
6. In the Header column, add the header's name.
7. In the Value column, add the header's value.
8. Ignore the Active checkbox because it isn't functional. To track progress on adding functionality to the Active checkbox, see the relevant issue.
9. Enter as many name and value pairs as required. When you enter a unique name and a value for a header, a new row in the table automatically appears. You can add up to 20 headers per endpoint.
10. After all headers have been filled out, select Add to add the new endpoint.

Event streaming is enabled if:

• No warning is shown.
• The added endpoint is displayed in the UI.

Updating custom HTTP headers

Introduced in GitLab 15.2.

Group owners can update a HTTP header using the GraphQL auditEventsStreamingHeadersCreate mutation.

mutation {
  auditEventsStreamingHeadersUpdate(input: { headerId: "gid://gitlab/AuditEvents::Streaming::Header/24255", key: "new-foo", value: "new-bar" }) {
    errors
  }
}

Deleting custom HTTP headers

Group owners can remove a HTTP header using the GraphQL auditEventsStreamingHeadersDestroy mutation. You can retrieve the header ID by listing all the custom headers on the group.

mutation {
  auditEventsStreamingHeadersDestroy(input: { headerId: "gid://gitlab/AuditEvents::Streaming::Header/1" }) {
    errors
  }
}

The header is deleted if the returned errors object is empty.

List all custom headers

List all custom HTTP headers with the API or GitLab UI.

Use the API

You can list all custom headers for a top-level group as well as their value and ID using the GraphQL externalAuditEventDestinations query. The ID value returned by this query is what you need to pass to the deletion mutation.

query {
  group(fullPath: "your-group") {
    id
    externalAuditEventDestinations {
      nodes {
        destinationUrl
        id
        headers {
          nodes {
            key
            value
            id
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Use the GitLab UI

FLAG: On self-managed GitLab, by default the UI for this feature is not available. To make it available per group, ask an administrator to enable the feature flag named custom_headers_streaming_audit_events_ui. On GitLab.com, the UI for this feature is not available. The UI for this feature is not ready for production use.

Users with at least the Owner role for a group can add event streaming destinations and custom HTTP headers for it:

1. On the top bar, select Menu > Groups and find your group.
2. On the left sidebar, select Security & Compliance > Audit events.
3. On the main area, select Streams tab.
4. Select {pencil} at the right side of an item.
5. A read-only view of the items custom headers is shown. To track progress on adding editing functionality, see the relevant issue.
6. Select Cancel to close the read-only view.

Verify event authenticity

Introduced in GitLab 14.8.

Each streaming destination has a unique verification token (verificationToken) that can be used to verify the authenticity of the event. This token is generated when the event destination is created and cannot be changed.

Each streamed event contains a random alphanumeric identifier for the X-Gitlab-Event-Streaming-Token HTTP header that can be verified against the destination's value when listing streaming destinations.

Use the GitLab UI

Introduced in GitLab 15.2.

Users with at least the Owner role for a group can list event streaming destinations and see the verification tokens:

1. On the top bar, select Menu > Groups and find your group.
2. On the left sidebar, select Security & Compliance > Audit events.
3. On the main area, select Streams.
4. View the verification token on the right side of each item.

Audit event streaming on Git operations

• Introduced in GitLab 14.9 with a flag named audit_event_streaming_git_operations. Disabled by default.
• Enabled on GitLab.com in GitLab 15.0.
• Enabled on self-managed in GitLab 15.1 by default.

FLAG: On self-managed GitLab, by default this feature is available. To hide the feature, ask an administrator to disable the feature flag named audit_event_streaming_git_operations.

Streaming audit events can be sent when signed-in users push or pull a project's remote Git repositories:

• Using SSH.
• Using HTTP or HTTPS.
• Using the Download button ({download}) in GitLab UI.

Audit events are not captured for users that are not signed in. For example, when downloading a public project.

To configure streaming audit events for Git operations, see Add a new event streaming destination.

Headers

X-Gitlab-Audit-Event-Type introduced in GitLab 15.0.

Headers are formatted as follows:

POST /logs HTTP/1.1
Host: <DESTINATION_HOST>
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
X-Gitlab-Event-Streaming-Token: <DESTINATION_TOKEN>
X-Gitlab-Audit-Event-Type: repository_git_operation

Example payloads for SSH events

Fetch:

{
  "id": 1,
  "author_id": 1,
  "entity_id": 29,
  "entity_type": "Project",
  "details": {
    "author_name": "Administrator",
    "target_id": 29,
    "target_type": "Project",
    "target_details": "example-project",
    "custom_message": {
      "protocol": "ssh",
      "action": "git-upload-pack"
    },
    "ip_address": "127.0.0.1",
    "entity_path": "example-group/example-project"
  },
  "ip_address": "127.0.0.1",
  "author_name": "Administrator",
  "entity_path": "example-group/example-project",
  "target_details": "example-project",
  "created_at": "2022-02-23T06:21:05.283Z",
  "target_type": "Project",
  "target_id": 29,
  "event_type": "repository_git_operation"
}

Push:

{
  "id": 1,
  "author_id": 1,
  "entity_id": 29,
  "entity_type": "Project",
  "details": {
    "author_name": "Administrator",
    "target_id": 29,
    "target_type": "Project",
    "target_details": "example-project",
    "custom_message": {
      "protocol": "ssh",
      "action": "git-receive-pack"
    },
    "ip_address": "127.0.0.1",
    "entity_path": "example-group/example-project"
  },
  "ip_address": "127.0.0.1",
  "author_name": "Administrator",
  "entity_path": "example-group/example-project",
  "target_details": "example-project",
  "created_at": "2022-02-23T06:23:08.746Z",
  "target_type": "Project",
  "target_id": 29,
  "event_type": "repository_git_operation"
}

Example payloads for HTTP and HTTPS events

Fetch:

{
  "id": 1,
  "author_id": 1,
  "entity_id": 29,
  "entity_type": "Project",
  "details": {
    "author_name": "Administrator",
    "target_id": 29,
    "target_type": "Project",
    "target_details": "example-project",
    "custom_message": {
      "protocol": "http",
      "action": "git-upload-pack"
    },
    "ip_address": "127.0.0.1",
    "entity_path": "example-group/example-project"
  },
  "ip_address": "127.0.0.1",
  "author_name": "Administrator",
  "entity_path": "example-group/example-project",
  "target_details": "example-project",
  "created_at": "2022-02-23T06:25:43.938Z",
  "target_type": "Project",
  "target_id": 29,
  "event_type": "repository_git_operation"
}

Push:

{
  "id": 1,
  "author_id": 1,
  "entity_id": 29,
  "entity_type": "Project",
  "details": {
    "author_name": "Administrator",
    "target_id": 29,
    "target_type": "Project",
    "target_details": "example-project",
    "custom_message": {
      "protocol": "http",
      "action": "git-receive-pack"
    },
    "ip_address": "127.0.0.1",
    "entity_path": "example-group/example-project"
  },
  "ip_address": "127.0.0.1",
  "author_name": "Administrator",
  "entity_path": "example-group/example-project",
  "target_details": "example-project",
  "created_at": "2022-02-23T06:26:29.294Z",
  "target_type": "Project",
  "target_id": 29,
  "event_type": "repository_git_operation"
}

Example payloads for events from GitLab UI download button

Fetch:

{
  "id": 1,
  "author_id": 99,
  "entity_id": 29,
  "entity_type": "Project",
  "details": {
    "custom_message": "Repository Download Started",
    "author_name": "example_username",
    "target_id": 29,
    "target_type": "Project",
    "target_details": "example-group/example-project",
    "ip_address": "127.0.0.1",
    "entity_path": "example-group/example-project"
  },
  "ip_address": "127.0.0.1",
  "author_name": "example_username",
  "entity_path": "example-group/example-project",
  "target_details": "example-group/example-project",
  "created_at": "2022-02-23T06:27:17.873Z",
  "target_type": "Project",
  "target_id": 29,
  "event_type": "repository_git_operation"
}

Audit event streaming on merge request approval actions

Introduced in GitLab 14.9.

Stream audit events that relate to merge approval actions performed within a project.

Headers

Headers are formatted as follows:

POST /logs HTTP/1.1
Host: <DESTINATION_HOST>
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
X-Gitlab-Event-Streaming-Token: <DESTINATION_TOKEN>
X-Gitlab-Audit-Event-Type: audit_operation

Example payload

{
  "id": 1,
  "author_id": 1,
  "entity_id": 6,
  "entity_type": "Project",
  "details": {
    "author_name": "example_username",
    "target_id": 20,
    "target_type": "MergeRequest",
    "target_details": "merge request title",
    "custom_message": "Approved merge request",
    "ip_address": "127.0.0.1",
    "entity_path": "example-group/example-project"
  },
  "ip_address": "127.0.0.1",
  "author_name": "example_username",
  "entity_path": "example-group/example-project",
  "target_details": "merge request title",
  "created_at": "2022-03-09T06:53:11.181Z",
  "target_type": "MergeRequest",
  "target_id": 20,
  "event_type": "audit_operation"
}

Audit event streaming on merge request create actions

Introduced in GitLab 15.2.

Stream audit events that relate to merge request create actions using the /logs endpoint.

Send API requests that contain the X-Gitlab-Audit-Event-Type header with value merge_request_create. GitLab responds with JSON payloads with an event_type field set to merge_request_create.

Headers

Headers are formatted as follows:

POST /logs HTTP/1.1
Host: <DESTINATION_HOST>
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
X-Gitlab-Audit-Event-Type: merge_request_create
X-Gitlab-Event-Streaming-Token: <DESTINATION_TOKEN>

Example payload

{
  "id": 1,
  "author_id": 1,
  "entity_id": 24,
  "entity_type": "Project",
  "details": {
    "author_name": "example_user",
    "target_id": 132,
    "target_type": "MergeRequest",
    "target_details": "Update test.md",
    "custom_message": "Added merge request",
    "ip_address": "127.0.0.1",
    "entity_path": "example-group/example-project"
  },
  "ip_address": "127.0.0.1",
  "author_name": "Administrator",
  "entity_path": "example-group/example-project",
  "target_details": "Update test.md",
  "created_at": "2022-07-04T00:19:22.675Z",
  "target_type": "MergeRequest",
  "target_id": 132,
  "event_type": "merge_request_create"
}

Audit event streaming on project fork actions

Introduced in GitLab 15.2.

Stream audit events that relate to project fork actions using the /logs endpoint.

Send API requests that contain the X-Gitlab-Audit-Event-Type header with value project_fork_operation. GitLab responds with JSON payloads with an event_type field set to project_fork_operation.

Headers

Headers are formatted as follows:

POST /logs HTTP/1.1
Host: <DESTINATION_HOST>
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
X-Gitlab-Audit-Event-Type: project_fork_operation
X-Gitlab-Event-Streaming-Token: <DESTINATION_TOKEN>

Example payload

{
  "id": 1,
  "author_id": 1,
  "entity_id": 24,
  "entity_type": "Project",
  "details": {
    "author_name": "example_username",
    "target_id": 24,
    "target_type": "Project",
    "target_details": "example-project",
    "custom_message": "Forked project to another-group/example-project-forked",
    "ip_address": "127.0.0.1",
    "entity_path": "example-group/example-project"
  },
  "ip_address": "127.0.0.1",
  "author_name": "example_username",
  "entity_path": "example-group/example-project",
  "target_details": "example-project",
  "created_at": "2022-06-30T03:43:35.384Z",
  "target_type": "Project",
  "target_id": 24,
  "event_type": "project_fork_operation"
}

Audit event streaming on project group link actions

Introduced in GitLab 15.2.

Stream audit events that relate to project group link creation, updates, and deletion using the /logs endpoint.

Send API requests that contain the X-Gitlab-Audit-Event-Type header with value of either:

• project_group_link_create.
• project_group_link_update.
• project_group_link_destroy.

GitLab responds with JSON payloads with an event_type field set to either:

• project_group_link_create.
• project_group_link_update.
• project_group_link_destroy.

Example Headers

Headers are formatted as follows:

POST /logs HTTP/1.1
Host: <DESTINATION_HOST>
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
X-Gitlab-Audit-Event-Type: project_group_link_create
X-Gitlab-Event-Streaming-Token: <DESTINATION_TOKEN>

Example payload for project group link create

{
  "id": 1,
  "author_id": 1,
  "entity_id": 24,
  "entity_type": "Project",
  "details": {
    "author_name": "example-user",
    "target_id": 31,
    "target_type": "Group",
    "target_details": "another-group",
    "custom_message": "Added project group link",
    "ip_address": "127.0.0.1",
    "entity_path": "example-group/example-project"
  },
  "ip_address": "127.0.0.1",
  "author_name": "example-user",
  "entity_path": "example-group/example-project",
  "target_details": "another-group",
  "created_at": "2022-07-04T00:43:09.318Z",
  "target_type": "Group",
  "target_id": 31,
  "event_type": "project_group_link_create"
}

Example payload for project group link update

{
  "id": 1,
  "author_id": 1,
  "entity_id": 24,
  "entity_type": "Project",
  "details": {
    "author_name": "example-user",
    "target_id": 31,
    "target_type": "Group",
    "target_details": "another-group",
    "custom_message": "Changed project group link profile group_access from Developer to Guest",
    "ip_address": "127.0.0.1",
    "entity_path": "example-group/example-project"
  },
  "ip_address": "127.0.0.1",
  "author_name": "example-user",
  "entity_path": "example-group/example-project",
  "target_details": "another-group",
  "created_at": "2022-07-04T00:43:28.328Z",
  "target_type": "Group",
  "target_id": 31,
  "event_type": "project_group_link_update"
}

Example payload for project group link delete

{
  "id": 1,
  "author_id": 1,
  "entity_id": 24,
  "entity_type": "Project",
  "details": {
    "author_name": "example-user",
    "target_id": 31,
    "target_type": "Group",
    "target_details": "another-group",
    "custom_message": "Removed project group link",
    "ip_address": "127.0.0.1",
    "entity_path": "example-group/example-project"
  },
  "ip_address": "127.0.0.1",
  "author_name": "example-user",
  "entity_path": "example-group/example-project",
  "target_details": "another-group",
  "created_at": "2022-07-04T00:42:56.279Z",
  "target_type": "Group",
  "target_id": 31,
  "event_type": "project_group_link_destroy"
}