Managing security sources using the Security Command Center API

This guide walks you through using the Security Command Center API to create a source to generate findings. When you add a source, Security Command Center creates appropriate sources and assigns them the relevant permissions.

Requirement: To create a source, Security Command Center must be activated at the organization level.

The IAM roles for Security Command Center can be granted at the organization, folder, or project level. Your ability to view, edit, create, or update findings, assets, and security sources depends on the level for which you are granted access. To learn more about Security Command Center roles, see Access control.

Before you begin

Before you set up a source, you need to authenticate with the Security Command Center API.

Creating a source

This example shows how to create a source with a specific display name and description that is used in Security Command Center.

The server automatically assigns an ID to the source.

REST

In the API, make a request to the organizations.sources.create method. The request body contains an instance of Source.

  POST https://securitycenter.googleapis.com/v2/organizations/ORGANIZATION_ID/sources

  {
    "name": "SOURCE_NAME",
    "description": "SOURCE_DESCRIPTION",
    "displayName": "DISPLAY_NAME"
  }

Replace the following:

• ORGANIZATION_ID: your organization ID.
• SOURCE_NAME: the name of the source.
• SOURCE_DESCRIPTION: a description of the source (max: 1,024 characters).
• DISPLAY_NAME: the display name of the source (between one and 64 characters).

Go

import (
	"context"
	"fmt"
	"io"

	securitycenter "cloud.google.com/go/securitycenter/apiv2"
	"cloud.google.com/go/securitycenter/apiv2/securitycenterpb"
)

// createSource creates a new source for organization orgID. orgID is
// the numeric identifier of the organization
func createSource(w io.Writer, orgID string) error {
	// orgID := "12321311"
	// Instantiate a context and a security service client to make API calls.
	ctx := context.Background()
	client, err := securitycenter.NewClient(ctx)
	if err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("securitycenter.NewClient: %w", err)
	}
	defer client.Close() // Closing the client safely cleans up background resources.

	req := &securitycenterpb.CreateSourceRequest{
		Source: &securitycenterpb.Source{
			DisplayName: "Customized Display Name",
			Description: "A new custom source that does X",
		},
		Parent: fmt.Sprintf("organizations/%s", orgID),
	}
	source, err := client.CreateSource(ctx, req)
	if err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("CreateSource: %w", err)
	}

	fmt.Fprintf(w, "New source created: %s\n", source.Name)
	fmt.Fprintf(w, "Display Name: %s\n", source.DisplayName)
	return nil
}

Java

import com.google.cloud.securitycenter.v2.CreateSourceRequest;
import com.google.cloud.securitycenter.v2.OrganizationName;
import com.google.cloud.securitycenter.v2.SecurityCenterClient;
import com.google.cloud.securitycenter.v2.Source;
import java.io.IOException;

public class CreateSource {

  public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {
    // TODO: Replace the sample resource name
    // organizationId: Google Cloud Organization id.
    String organizationId = "{google-cloud-organization-id}";

    createSource(organizationId);
  }

  /**
   * Creates a new "source" in the Security Command Center.
   */
  public static Source createSource(String organizationId) throws IOException {
    try (SecurityCenterClient client = SecurityCenterClient.create()) {
      // Start setting up a request to create a source in an organization.
      OrganizationName organizationName = OrganizationName.of(organizationId);

      Source source =
          Source.newBuilder()
              .setDisplayName("Custom display name")
              .setDescription("A source that does X")
              .build();

      CreateSourceRequest createSourceRequest =
          CreateSourceRequest.newBuilder()
              .setParent(organizationName.toString())
              .setSource(source)
              .build();

      // The source is not visible in the Security Command Center dashboard
      // until it generates findings.
      Source response = client.createSource(createSourceRequest);
      return response;
    }
  }
}

Node.js

// Import the Google Cloud client library.
const {SecurityCenterClient} = require('@google-cloud/security-center').v2;

// Create a new Security Center client
const client = new SecurityCenterClient();

// TODO(developer): Update for your own environment.
const organizationId = '1081635000895';

// Resource name of the new source's parent. Format is:
// "organizations/[organization_id]".
const parent = client.organizationPath(organizationId);

// The source object.
const source = {
  displayName: 'Customized Display Name V2',
  description: 'A new custom source that does X',
};

// Build the create source request.
const createSourceRequest = {
  parent,
  source,
};

// The source is not visible in the Security Command Center dashboard
// until it generates findings.
// Call the API
async function createSource() {
  const [source] = await client.createSource(createSourceRequest);
  console.log('New Source created: %j', source);
}

await createSource();

Python

def create_source(organization_id) -> Dict:
    """
    Create a new findings source
    Args:
        organization_id: organization_id is the numeric ID of the organization. e.g.:organization_id = "111122222444"
    Returns:
         Dict: returns the created findings source details.
    """
    from google.cloud import securitycenter_v2

    client = securitycenter_v2.SecurityCenterClient()
    org_name = f"organizations/{organization_id}"

    response = client.create_source(
        request={
            "parent": org_name,
            "source": {
                "display_name": "Customized Display Name",
                "description": "A new custom source that does X",
            },
        }
    )
    print(f"Created Source: {response.name}")
    return response

The source is not visible in the Security Command Center console until it generates findings. You can verify it was created by following the instructions in Get a specific source.

Updating a source

You can update a source's display name and description after it's created. You can also use a field mask to update only one field. The example below uses a field mask to only update the display name, leaving the description unchanged.

Note: Sources cannot be deleted or disabled.

REST

In the API, make a request to the organizations.sources.patch method. The request body contains an instance of Source.

  PATCH https://securitycenter.googleapis.com/v2/organizations/ORGANIZATION_ID/sources/SOURCE_ID?updateMask=displayName -d

  {
    "description": "SOURCE_DESCRIPTION",
    "displayName": "DISPLAY_NAME",
  }

Replace the following:

• ORGANIZATION_ID: your organization ID.
• SOURCE_ID: the source ID; to learn how to find a source ID, see Getting the source ID.
• SOURCE_DESCRIPTION: a description of the source (max: 1024 characters).
• DISPLAY_NAME: the display name of the source (between one and 64 characters).

Go

import (
	"context"
	"fmt"
	"io"

	securitycenter "cloud.google.com/go/securitycenter/apiv2"
	"cloud.google.com/go/securitycenter/apiv2/securitycenterpb"
	"google.golang.org/genproto/protobuf/field_mask"
)

// updateSource changes a sources display name to "New Display Name" for a
// specific source. sourceName is the full resource name of the source to be
// updated.
func updateSource(w io.Writer, sourceName string) error {
	// sourceName := "organizations/111122222444/sources/1234"
	// Instantiate a context and a security service client to make API calls.
	ctx := context.Background()
	client, err := securitycenter.NewClient(ctx)
	if err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("securitycenter.NewClient: %w", err)
	}
	defer client.Close() // Closing the client safely cleans up background resources.

	req := &securitycenterpb.UpdateSourceRequest{
		Source: &securitycenterpb.Source{
			Name:        sourceName,
			DisplayName: "New Display Name",
		},
		// Only update the display name field (if not set all mutable
		// fields of the source will be updated.
		UpdateMask: &field_mask.FieldMask{
			Paths: []string{"display_name"},
		},
	}
	source, err := client.UpdateSource(ctx, req)
	if err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("UpdateSource: %w", err)
	}
	fmt.Fprintf(w, "Source Name: %s, ", source.Name)
	fmt.Fprintf(w, "Display name: %s, ", source.DisplayName)
	fmt.Fprintf(w, "Description: %s\n", source.Description)

	return nil
}

Java

import com.google.cloud.securitycenter.v2.SecurityCenterClient;
import com.google.cloud.securitycenter.v2.Source;
import com.google.cloud.securitycenter.v2.SourceName;
import com.google.cloud.securitycenter.v2.UpdateSourceRequest;
import com.google.protobuf.FieldMask;
import java.io.IOException;

public class UpdateSource {

  public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {
    // TODO: Replace the below variables.
    // organizationId: Google Cloud Organization id.
    String organizationId = "{google-cloud-organization-id}";

    // Specify the source-id.
    String sourceId = "{source-id}";

    updateSource(organizationId, sourceId);
  }

  // Demonstrates how to update a source.
  public static Source updateSource(String organizationId, String sourceId) throws IOException {
    // Initialize client that will be used to send requests. This client only needs to be created
    // once, and can be reused for multiple requests.
    try (SecurityCenterClient client = SecurityCenterClient.create()) {

      // Start setting up a request to get a source.
      SourceName sourceName = SourceName.ofOrganizationSourceName(organizationId, sourceId);
      Source source = Source.newBuilder()
          .setDisplayName("Updated Display Name")
          .setName(sourceName.toString())
          .build();

      // Set the update mask to specify which properties should be updated.
      // If empty, all mutable fields will be updated.
      // For more info on constructing field mask path, see the proto or:
      // https://cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/protobuf/latest/com.google.protobuf.FieldMask
      FieldMask updateMask = FieldMask.newBuilder()
          .addPaths("display_name")
          .build();

      UpdateSourceRequest request = UpdateSourceRequest.newBuilder()
          .setSource(source)
          .setUpdateMask(updateMask)
          .build();

      // Call the API.
      Source response = client.updateSource(request);

      System.out.println("Updated Source: " + response);
      return response;
    }
  }
}

Node.js

// npm install '@google-cloud/security-center'
const {SecurityCenterClient} = require('@google-cloud/security-center').v2;

const client = new SecurityCenterClient();

// TODO(developer): Update the following for your own environment.
const organizationId = '1081635000895';
const location = 'global';

async function createSampleFinding() {
  const uuid = require('uuid');

  const [source] = await client.createSource({
    source: {
      displayName: 'Customized Display Name V2',
      description: 'A new custom source that does X',
    },
    parent: client.organizationPath(organizationId),
  });

  const sourceId = source.name.split('/')[3];

  // Resource name of the new finding's parent. Examples:
  //  - `organizations/[organization_id]/sources/[source_id]`
  //  - `organizations/[organization_id]/sources/[source_id]/locations/[location_id]`
  const parent = `organizations/${organizationId}/sources/${sourceId}/locations/${location}`;

  // The resource this finding applied to. The Cloud Security Command Center UI can link the
  // findings for a resource to the corresponding asset of a resource if there are matches.
  const resourceName = `//cloudresourcemanager.googleapis.com/organizations/${organizationId}`;

  // Unique identifier provided by the client within the parent scope.
  // It must be alphanumeric and less than or equal to 32 characters and
  // greater than 0 characters in length.
  const findingId = uuid.v4().replace(/-/g, '');

  // Get the current timestamp.
  const eventDate = new Date();

  // Finding category.
  const category = 'MEDIUM_RISK_ONE';

  // Build the finding request object.
  const createFindingRequest = {
    parent: parent,
    findingId: findingId,
    finding: {
      resourceName,
      category,
      state: 'ACTIVE',
      // The time associated with discovering the issue.
      eventTime: {
        seconds: Math.floor(eventDate.getTime() / 1000),
        nanos: (eventDate.getTime() % 1000) * 1e6,
      },
    },
  };

  await client.createFinding(createFindingRequest);
  return sourceId;
}

const sourceId = await createSampleFinding();

/**
 *  Required. The source resource to update.
 */
const sourceName = client.organizationSourcePath(organizationId, sourceId);

// Set the update mask to specify which properties should be updated.
// If empty, all mutable fields will be updated.
// For more info on constructing field mask path, see the proto or:
// https://cloud.google.com/java/docs/reference/protobuf/latest/com.google.protobuf.FieldMask
const updateMask = {
  paths: ['display_name'],
};

// Build the request.

const source = {
  name: sourceName,
  displayName: 'New Display Name',
};

async function updateSource() {
  const [response] = await client.updateSource({updateMask, source});
  console.log('Updated Source: %j', response);
}

await updateSource();

Get a specific source

Verify that a source is created or updated appropriately by querying Security Command Center with the source's absolute resource name:

gcloud

gcloud scc sources describe ORGANIZATION_ID --source=SOURCE_ID

Replace the following:

• ORGANIZATION_ID: your organization ID.
• SOURCE_ID: the source ID.

REST

In the API, make a request to the organizations.sources.get method:

GET https://securitycenter.googleapis.com/v2/organizations/ORGANIZATION_ID/sources/SOURCE_ID

Replace the following:

• ORGANIZATION_ID: your organization ID.
• SOURCE_ID: the source ID.

Go

import (
	"context"
	"fmt"
	"io"

	securitycenter "cloud.google.com/go/securitycenter/apiv2"
	"cloud.google.com/go/securitycenter/apiv2/securitycenterpb"
)

// getSource retrieves a source by its resource name and print it to w.
// sourceName is the full resource name of the source to be updated.
func getSource(w io.Writer, sourceName string) error {
	// sourceName := "organizations/111122222444/sources/1234"
	// Instantiate a context and a security service client to make API calls.
	ctx := context.Background()
	client, err := securitycenter.NewClient(ctx)
	if err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("securitycenter.NewClient: %w", err)
	}
	defer client.Close() // Closing the client safely cleans up background resources.

	req := &securitycenterpb.GetSourceRequest{
		Name: sourceName,
	}
	source, err := client.GetSource(ctx, req)
	if err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("GetSource: %w", err)
	}
	fmt.Fprintf(w, "Source: %v\n", source.Name)
	fmt.Fprintf(w, "Display Name: %v\n", source.DisplayName)
	fmt.Fprintf(w, "Description: %v\n", source.Description)
	return nil
}

Java

import com.google.cloud.securitycenter.v2.GetSourceRequest;
import com.google.cloud.securitycenter.v2.SecurityCenterClient;
import com.google.cloud.securitycenter.v2.Source;
import com.google.cloud.securitycenter.v2.SourceName;
import java.io.IOException;

public class GetSource {

  public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {
    // TODO: Replace the below variables.
    // organizationId: Google Cloud Organization id.
    String organizationId = "{google-cloud-organization-id}";

    // Specify the source-id.
    String sourceId = "{source-id}";

    getSource(organizationId, sourceId);
  }

  // Demonstrates how to retrieve a specific source.
  public static Source getSource(String organizationId, String sourceId) throws IOException {
    // Initialize client that will be used to send requests. This client only needs to be created
    // once, and can be reused for multiple requests.
    try (SecurityCenterClient client = SecurityCenterClient.create()) {

      // Start setting up a request to get a source.
      SourceName sourceName = SourceName.ofOrganizationSourceName(organizationId, sourceId);

      GetSourceRequest request = GetSourceRequest.newBuilder()
          .setName(sourceName.toString())
          .build();

      // Call the API.
      Source response = client.getSource(request);

      System.out.println("Source: " + response);
      return response;
    }
  }
}

Node.js

// Imports the Google Cloud client library.
const {SecurityCenterClient} = require('@google-cloud/security-center').v2;

// Create a Security Center client
const client = new SecurityCenterClient();

// TODO(developer): Update the following for your own environment.
const organizationId = '1081635000895';
const location = 'global';

async function createSampleFinding() {
  const uuid = require('uuid');

  const [source] = await client.createSource({
    source: {
      displayName: 'Customized Display Name V2',
      description: 'A new custom source that does X',
    },
    parent: client.organizationPath(organizationId),
  });

  const sourceId = source.name.split('/')[3];

  // Resource name of the new finding's parent. Examples:
  //  - `organizations/[organization_id]/sources/[source_id]`
  //  - `organizations/[organization_id]/sources/[source_id]/locations/[location_id]`
  const parent = `organizations/${organizationId}/sources/${sourceId}/locations/${location}`;

  // The resource this finding applied to. The Cloud Security Command Center UI can link the
  // findings for a resource to the corresponding asset of a resource if there are matches.
  const resourceName = `//cloudresourcemanager.googleapis.com/organizations/${organizationId}`;

  // Unique identifier provided by the client within the parent scope.
  // It must be alphanumeric and less than or equal to 32 characters and
  // greater than 0 characters in length.
  const findingId = uuid.v4().replace(/-/g, '');

  // Get the current timestamp.
  const eventDate = new Date();

  // Finding category.
  const category = 'MEDIUM_RISK_ONE';

  // Build the finding request object.
  const createFindingRequest = {
    parent: parent,
    findingId: findingId,
    finding: {
      resourceName,
      category,
      state: 'ACTIVE',
      // The time associated with discovering the issue.
      eventTime: {
        seconds: Math.floor(eventDate.getTime() / 1000),
        nanos: (eventDate.getTime() % 1000) * 1e6,
      },
    },
  };

  await client.createFinding(createFindingRequest);
  return sourceId;
}

const sourceId = await createSampleFinding();

// Relative resource name of the source. Its format is
// "organizations/[organization_id]/source/[source_id]".
const name = `organizations/${organizationId}/sources/${sourceId}`;

// Build the request.
const getSourceRequest = {
  name,
};

async function getSource() {
  // Call the API.
  const [source] = await client.getSource(getSourceRequest);
  console.log('Source: %j', source);
}

await getSource();

Python

def get_source(source_name) -> Dict:
    """
    Gets the details of an existing source.
    Args:
        source_name: is the resource path for a source that has been created
    Returns:
         Dict: returns the details of existing source.
    """
    from google.cloud import securitycenter_v2

    client = securitycenter_v2.SecurityCenterClient()

    # 'source_name' is the resource path for a source that has been
    # created previously (you can use list_sources to find a specific one).
    # Its format is:
    # source_name = "organizations/{organization_id}/sources/{source_id}"
    # e.g.:
    # source_name = "organizations/111122222444/sources/1234"
    source = client.get_source(request={"name": source_name})

    print(f"Source: {source}")
    return source

Listing Sources

Security Command Center enables you to list a specific source, and to list all sources currently available in an organization:

REST

In the API, make a request to the organizations.sources.list method:

GET https://securitycenter.googleapis.com/v2/organizations/ORGANIZATION_ID/sources

Replace the following:

• ORGANIZATION_ID: your organization ID.

Go

import (
	"context"
	"fmt"
	"io"

	securitycenter "cloud.google.com/go/securitycenter/apiv2"
	"cloud.google.com/go/securitycenter/apiv2/securitycenterpb"
	"google.golang.org/api/iterator"
)

// listSources prints all sources in  orgID to w.  orgID is the numeric
// identifier of the organization.
func listSources(w io.Writer, orgID string) error {
	// orgID := "12321311"
	// Instantiate a context and a security service client to make API calls.
	ctx := context.Background()
	client, err := securitycenter.NewClient(ctx)
	if err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("securitycenter.NewClient: %w", err)
	}
	defer client.Close() // Closing the client safely cleans up background resources.

	req := &securitycenterpb.ListSourcesRequest{
		// Parent must be in one of the following formats:
		//		"organizations/{orgId}"
		//		"projects/{projectId}"
		//		"folders/{folderId}"
		Parent: fmt.Sprintf("organizations/%s", orgID),
	}
	it := client.ListSources(ctx, req)
	for {
		source, err := it.Next()
		if err == iterator.Done {
			break
		}
		if err != nil {
			return fmt.Errorf("it.Next: %w", err)
		}
		fmt.Fprintf(w, "Source Name: %s, ", source.Name)
		fmt.Fprintf(w, "Display name: %s, ", source.DisplayName)
		fmt.Fprintf(w, "Description: %s\n", source.Description)
	}
	return nil
}

Java

import com.google.cloud.securitycenter.v2.OrganizationLocationName;
import com.google.cloud.securitycenter.v2.OrganizationName;
import com.google.cloud.securitycenter.v2.SecurityCenterClient;
import com.google.cloud.securitycenter.v2.SecurityCenterClient.ListSourcesPagedResponse;
import com.google.cloud.securitycenter.v2.Source;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

public class ListSources {

  public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {
    // TODO: Replace the below variables.
    // organizationId: Google Cloud Organization id.
    String organizationId = "{google-cloud-organization-id}";

    listSources(organizationId);
  }

  // Demonstrates how to list all security sources in an organization.
  public static List<Source> listSources(String organizationId) throws IOException {
    // Initialize client that will be used to send requests. This client only needs to be created
    // once, and can be reused for multiple requests.
    try (SecurityCenterClient client = SecurityCenterClient.create()) {

      // Start setting up a request to get a source.
      OrganizationName parent = OrganizationName.of(organizationId);

      // Call the API.
      List<Source> sourcesList = new ArrayList<>();
      ListSourcesPagedResponse response = client.listSources(parent);
      response.iterateAll().forEach(sourcesList::add);

      for (Source source : sourcesList) {
        System.out.println("List sources: " + source);
      }
      return sourcesList;
    }
  }
}

Node.js

// Imports the Google Cloud client library.
const {SecurityCenterClient} = require('@google-cloud/security-center').v2;

const client = new SecurityCenterClient();

// TODO(developer): Update the following for your own environment.
const organizationId = '1081635000895';

// Required. Resource name of the parent of sources to list. Its format should
// be "organizations/[organization_id]", "folders/[folder_id]", or
// "projects/[project_id]".
const parent = `organizations/${organizationId}`;

// Build the request.
const listSourcesRequest = {
  parent,
};

async function listAllSources() {
  // Call the API.
  const iterable = client.listSourcesAsync(listSourcesRequest);
  let count = 0;
  console.log('Sources:');
  for await (const response of iterable) {
    console.log(`${++count} ${response.name} ${response.description}`);
  }
}

await listAllSources();

What's next

Learn more about Accessing Security Command Center using an SDK.