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🛡️ AWS ELB Load Balancer Access Logging is disabled🟢

Logic​

Similar Policies​

Description​

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Description​

Ensure that access logging is enabled for Application, Network, and Classic Load Balancers. Access logs capture detailed information about requests processed by the load balancer.

Rationale​

When access logging is enabled, load balancer logs are delivered to a designated Amazon S3 bucket. These logs record information about each request, including client IP address, request path, response codes, and latency. Access logs are valuable for analyzing traffic patterns, supporting security investigations, implementing protection and compliance controls, and troubleshooting operational issues.

Impact​

Enabling access logging may result in additional Amazon S3 storage costs for retaining log files. There is no additional charge for the access logging feature itself.

Audit​

This policy flags an AWS ELB load balancer as INCOMPLIANT if the Access Logs Enabled field is false.

Gateway Load Balancers are marked as INAPPLICABLE.

Remediation​

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Remediation​

Enable Access Logging​

Enable access logging for Amazon Elastic Load Balancers to capture detailed request information and store it in Amazon S3 for analysis, auditing, and troubleshooting.

From Command Line​
1. Create an Amazon S3 bucket for access logs​

Create an S3 bucket to store load balancer access logs:

aws s3api create-bucket \
    --bucket {{access-logs-bucket-name}} \
    --region {{region-name}}
2. Configure the S3 bucket policy​

Grant the load balancer permission to write access logs to the S3 bucket. Create a file named access-logging-policy.json and replace all placeholders with your own values:

{
  "Version": "2012-10-17",
  "Statement": [
    {
      "Sid": "ELBAccessLoggingPolicy",
      "Effect": "Allow",
      "Principal": {
        "Service": "logdelivery.elasticloadbalancing.amazonaws.com"
      },
      "Action": "s3:PutObject",
      "Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::{{access-logs-bucket-name}}/{{logging-prefix}}/AWSLogs/{{account-id}}/*"
    }
  ]
}

Attach the policy to the S3 bucket:

... see more

policy.yaml​

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Linked Framework Sections​

SectionSub SectionsInternal RulesPoliciesFlagsCompliance
💼 AWS Foundational Security Best Practices v1.0.0 → 💼 [ELB.5] Application and Classic Load Balancers logging should be enabled1no data
💼 AWS Well-Architected → 💼 SEC04-BP02 Capture logs, findings, and metrics in standardized locations3no data
💼 Cloudaware Framework → 💼 Logging and Monitoring Configuration75no data
💼 FedRAMP High Security Controls → 💼 AU-2 Event Logging (L)(M)(H)26no data
💼 FedRAMP High Security Controls → 💼 AU-3 Content of Audit Records (L)(M)(H)137no data
💼 FedRAMP High Security Controls → 💼 AU-6(3) Correlate Audit Record Repositories (M)(H)16no data
💼 FedRAMP High Security Controls → 💼 AU-6(4) Central Review and Analysis (H)16no data
💼 FedRAMP High Security Controls → 💼 AU-10 Non-repudiation (H)15no data
💼 FedRAMP High Security Controls → 💼 AU-12 Audit Record Generation (L)(M)(H)273no data
💼 FedRAMP High Security Controls → 💼 CA-7 Continuous Monitoring (L)(M)(H)227no data
💼 FedRAMP Low Security Controls → 💼 AU-2 Event Logging (L)(M)(H)26no data
💼 FedRAMP Low Security Controls → 💼 AU-3 Content of Audit Records (L)(M)(H)23no data
💼 FedRAMP Low Security Controls → 💼 AU-12 Audit Record Generation (L)(M)(H)73no data
💼 FedRAMP Low Security Controls → 💼 CA-7 Continuous Monitoring (L)(M)(H)127no data
💼 FedRAMP Moderate Security Controls → 💼 AU-2 Event Logging (L)(M)(H)26no data
💼 FedRAMP Moderate Security Controls → 💼 AU-3 Content of Audit Records (L)(M)(H)137no data
💼 FedRAMP Moderate Security Controls → 💼 AU-6(3) Correlate Audit Record Repositories (M)(H)16no data
💼 FedRAMP Moderate Security Controls → 💼 AU-12 Audit Record Generation (L)(M)(H)73no data
💼 FedRAMP Moderate Security Controls → 💼 CA-7 Continuous Monitoring (L)(M)(H)227no data
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 DE.AE-02: Potentially adverse events are analyzed to better understand associated activities50no data
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 DE.AE-03: Information is correlated from multiple sources65no data
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 DE.CM-01: Networks and network services are monitored to find potentially adverse events180no data
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 DE.CM-02: The physical environment is monitored to find potentially adverse events27no data
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 DE.CM-03: Personnel activity and technology usage are monitored to find potentially adverse events100no data
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 DE.CM-06: External service provider activities and services are monitored to find potentially adverse events50no data
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 DE.CM-09: Computing hardware and software, runtime environments, and their data are monitored to find potentially adverse events181no data
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 ID.IM-01: Improvements are identified from evaluations45no data
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 ID.IM-02: Improvements are identified from security tests and exercises, including those done in coordination with suppliers and relevant third parties59no data
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 ID.IM-03: Improvements are identified from execution of operational processes, procedures, and activities60no data
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 ID.RA-01: Vulnerabilities in assets are identified, validated, and recorded46no data
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 ID.RA-07: Changes and exceptions are managed, assessed for risk impact, recorded, and tracked49no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 AC-4(26) Information Flow Enforcement _ Audit Filtering Actions17no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 AU-2 Event Logging426no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 AU-3 Content of Audit Records31337no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 AU-6(3) Audit Record Review, Analysis, and Reporting _ Correlate Audit Record Repositories16no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 AU-6(4) Audit Record Review, Analysis, and Reporting _ Central Review and Analysis16no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 AU-10 Non-repudiation515no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 AU-12 Audit Record Generation44773no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 CA-7 Continuous Monitoring627no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 SC-7(9) Boundary Protection _ Restrict Threatening Outgoing Communications Traffic34no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 SI-7(8) Software, Firmware, and Information Integrity _ Auditing Capability for Significant Events16no data