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🛡️ AWS RDS Cluster Backup Retention Period is less than 7 days🟢

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Description​

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Description​

This policy identifies AWS RDS DB clusters that retain automated backups for fewer than 7 days.

Automated backups support point-in-time recovery and help restore cluster-based database services after accidental changes, data corruption, operational mistakes, or service disruption. A short retention window reduces the number of recent restore points that are available when an incident occurs.

Rationale​

Maintaining at least 7 days of backup retention improves resilience by preserving a sufficient recovery window for investigation, rollback, and restoration activities. This is particularly important for business-critical database workloads where recovery objectives depend on having recent restore points readily available.

Impact​

Increasing the backup retention period can increase backup storage costs. Organizations should balance retention costs against recovery requirements, data criticality, and internal resilience standards.

Audit​

This policy flags an AWS RDS Cluster as INCOMPLIANT when the Backup Retention Period is less than 7 days.

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Remediation​

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Remediation​

Set Backup Retention to at Least 7 Days​

Update the affected cluster configuration to retain automated backups for at least 7 days.

From Command Line​
Amazon RDS DB Clusters​

Use the following AWS CLI command for Aurora DB clusters and RDS Multi-AZ MySQL or PostgreSQL DB clusters:

aws rds modify-db-cluster \
    --db-cluster-identifier {{db-cluster-id}} \
    --backup-retention-period 7 \
    --apply-immediately
Amazon DocumentDB Clusters​
aws docdb modify-db-cluster \
    --db-cluster-identifier {{db-cluster-id}} \
    --backup-retention-period 7 \
    --apply-immediately
Amazon Neptune DB Clusters​
aws neptune modify-db-cluster \
    --db-cluster-identifier {{db-cluster-id}} \
    --backup-retention-period 7 \
    --apply-immediately

Use a higher value if your organization's backup policy requires a longer recovery window. If you prefer to defer the change until the next maintenance window, replace --apply-immediately with --no-apply-immediately where supported by the service.

policy.yaml​

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Linked Framework Sections​

SectionSub SectionsInternal RulesPoliciesFlagsCompliance
💼 AWS Foundational Security Best Practices v1.0.0 → 💼 [DocumentDB.2] Amazon DocumentDB clusters should have an adequate backup retention period1no data
💼 AWS Foundational Security Best Practices v1.0.0 → 💼 [Neptune.5] Neptune DB clusters should have automated backups enabled1no data
💼 Cloudaware Framework → 💼 Data Protection and Recovery26no data
💼 FedRAMP High Security Controls → 💼 SI-12 Information Management and Retention (L)(M)(H)8no data
💼 FedRAMP Low Security Controls → 💼 SI-12 Information Management and Retention (L)(M)(H)8no data
💼 FedRAMP Moderate Security Controls → 💼 SI-12 Information Management and Retention (L)(M)(H)8no data
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 ID.AM-07: Inventories of data and corresponding metadata for designated data types are maintained8no data
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 ID.AM-08: Systems, hardware, software, services, and data are managed throughout their life cycles28no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 SI-12 Information Management and Retention38no data
💼 PCI DSS v3.2.1 → 💼 3.1 Keep cardholder data storage to a minimum by implementing data retention and disposal policies.1no data
💼 PCI DSS v4.0.1 → 💼 3.2.1 Account data storage is kept to a minimum through implementation of data retention and disposal policies, procedures, and processes.1no data
💼 PCI DSS v4.0 → 💼 3.2.1 Account data storage is kept to a minimum through implementation of data retention and disposal policies, procedures, and processes.1no data