Building a Break-Glass Access CloudTrail Query Runbook

Break-glass access had been triggered. Somewhere, someone had crossed into the part of your systems only meant for emergencies. Maybe it’s fine. Maybe it’s the start of a breach. You don’t get to guess. You need proof, fast. That’s when a tight, tested, and complete CloudTrail query runbook is the difference between control and chaos.

Break-glass access CloudTrail queries are not an afterthought. They should be sharpened like tools you know you’ll need. Every action taken under exception access must be visible, traceable, and explainable. That means having your runbook locked in before the first alert hits.

A solid break-glass runbook begins with speed: predefined queries that pull every relevant CloudTrail event tied to the break-glass IAM role. Include the AssumeRole calls. Filter by the sourceIPAddress. Group by eventName. Flag UpdatePolicy and PutObjectAcl. Capture changes to IAM, KMS, network configurations, and access keys.

Then comes scope: you can’t just look at the obvious. Drill into ConsoleLogin events, GetSecretValue from Secrets Manager, unusual DescribeInstances bursts. Note the timestamps. Map each to the AWS account, region, and user agent. Build timelines that can survive an audit or a post-mortem without rewrites.

Runbooks also need resilience: automation to execute queries without human hesitation. Store them in version control. Keep a CLI copy. Integrate with your SIEM so you don’t waste seconds. Ensure that the runbook itself can be run under all the same constraints you’ll face during the actual incident.

Execution isn’t the end. Close with an immediate review of the incident log and revoke the break-glass permissions as soon as the crisis is over. Store the logs securely. Tag and archive every related CloudTrail JSON file. Document who approved the access. Require a written summary before closure.

A well-prepared break-glass access CloudTrail query runbook is more than a safety net—it’s an active defense. If your team needs to see what this level of readiness feels like in action, hoop.dev can show you live in minutes.