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🛡️ AWS RDS Cluster required log exports to CloudWatch Logs are not enabled🟢

  • Contextual name: 🛡️ Cluster required log exports to CloudWatch Logs are not enabled🟢
  • ID: /ce/ca/aws/rds/cluster-cloudwatch-logs-export
  • Tags:
  • Policy Type: COMPLIANCE_POLICY
  • Policy Categories: RELIABILITY

Logic​

Similar Policies​

Description​

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Description​

This policy identifies supported AWS RDS clusters that are not configured to export the required engine-specific database logs to Amazon CloudWatch Logs. It applies to Aurora MySQL, Aurora PostgreSQL, Amazon DocumentDB, and Amazon Neptune clusters.

The required log export depends on the database engine:

  • Aurora MySQL: audit
  • Aurora PostgreSQL: postgresql
  • Amazon DocumentDB: audit
  • Amazon Neptune: audit

Rationale​

Exporting database logs to Amazon CloudWatch Logs is critical for maintaining operational visibility and meeting security and compliance requirements. Logs stored locally on an RDS cluster are transient and may be lost during maintenance operations, cluster restarts, or unexpected failures. By contrast, CloudWatch Logs provides durable, centralized storage that preserves historical log data for auditing and forensic analysis.

Once logs are available in CloudWatch Logs, organizations can create metric filters and alarms to detect significant events, such as repeated connection failures, unauthorized access attempts, or performance issues including slow-running queries. CloudWatch Logs Insights further enhances visibility by enabling efficient querying and analysis of log data across multiple RDS clusters, improving troubleshooting and incident response capabilities.

... see more

Remediation​

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Remediation​

Enable Required CloudWatch Log Exports​

To ensure database logs are retained and available for centralized monitoring, troubleshooting, and auditing, configure supported AWS RDS clusters to export the required database log types to Amazon CloudWatch Logs.

CloudWatch log exports are enabled at the cluster level by updating the DB cluster configuration with the --cloudwatch-logs-export-configuration parameter. The required log type depends on the database engine and engine version.

From Command Line​
Aurora MySQL​

Enable export of audit logs:

aws rds modify-db-cluster \
    --db-cluster-identifier {{db-cluster-identifier}} \
    --cloudwatch-logs-export-configuration '{"EnableLogTypes":["audit"]}'
Aurora PostgreSQL​

Enable export of PostgreSQL logs:

aws rds modify-db-cluster \
    --db-cluster-identifier {{db-cluster-identifier}} \
    --cloudwatch-logs-export-configuration '{"EnableLogTypes":["postgresql"]}'
Amazon DocumentDB​

Enable export of audit logs:

aws docdb modify-db-cluster \

... [see more](remediation.md)

policy.yaml​

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Linked Framework Sections​

SectionSub SectionsInternal RulesPoliciesFlagsCompliance
💼 AWS Foundational Security Best Practices v1.0.0 → 💼 [DocumentDB.4] Amazon DocumentDB clusters should publish audit logs to CloudWatch Logs1no data
💼 AWS Foundational Security Best Practices v1.0.0 → 💼 [Neptune.2] Neptune DB clusters should publish audit logs to CloudWatch Logs1no data
💼 AWS Foundational Security Best Practices v1.0.0 → 💼 [RDS.34] Aurora MySQL DB clusters should publish audit logs to CloudWatch Logs1no data
💼 AWS Foundational Security Best Practices v1.0.0 → 💼 [RDS.37] Aurora PostgreSQL DB clusters should publish logs to CloudWatch Logs1no data
💼 AWS Foundational Security Best Practices v1.0.0 → 💼 [RDS.45] Aurora MySQL DB clusters should have audit logging enabled1no data
💼 Cloudaware Framework → 💼 Logging and Monitoring Configuration78no data
💼 FedRAMP High Security Controls → 💼 AC-2(4) Automated Audit Actions (M)(H)23no data
💼 FedRAMP High Security Controls → 💼 AC-6(9) Log Use of Privileged Functions (M)(H)832no data
💼 FedRAMP High Security Controls → 💼 AU-2 Event Logging (L)(M)(H)27no data
💼 FedRAMP High Security Controls → 💼 AU-3 Content of Audit Records (L)(M)(H)139no data
💼 FedRAMP High Security Controls → 💼 AU-6(1) Automated Process Integration (M)(H)6no data
💼 FedRAMP High Security Controls → 💼 AU-6(3) Correlate Audit Record Repositories (M)(H)17no data
💼 FedRAMP High Security Controls → 💼 AU-6(4) Central Review and Analysis (H)17no data
💼 FedRAMP High Security Controls → 💼 AU-6(5) Integrated Analysis of Audit Records (H)4no data
💼 FedRAMP High Security Controls → 💼 AU-7(1) Automatic Processing (M)(H)4no data
💼 FedRAMP High Security Controls → 💼 AU-10 Non-repudiation (H)16no data
💼 FedRAMP High Security Controls → 💼 AU-12 Audit Record Generation (L)(M)(H)274no data
💼 FedRAMP High Security Controls → 💼 CA-7 Continuous Monitoring (L)(M)(H)228no data
💼 FedRAMP High Security Controls → 💼 SI-4(5) System-generated Alerts (M)(H)4no data
💼 FedRAMP High Security Controls → 💼 SI-4(20) Privileged Users (H)4957no data
💼 FedRAMP Low Security Controls → 💼 AU-2 Event Logging (L)(M)(H)27no data
💼 FedRAMP Low Security Controls → 💼 AU-3 Content of Audit Records (L)(M)(H)24no data
💼 FedRAMP Low Security Controls → 💼 AU-12 Audit Record Generation (L)(M)(H)74no data
💼 FedRAMP Low Security Controls → 💼 CA-7 Continuous Monitoring (L)(M)(H)128no data
💼 FedRAMP Moderate Security Controls → 💼 AC-2(4) Automated Audit Actions (M)(H)23no data
💼 FedRAMP Moderate Security Controls → 💼 AC-6(9) Log Use of Privileged Functions (M)(H)32no data
💼 FedRAMP Moderate Security Controls → 💼 AU-2 Event Logging (L)(M)(H)27no data
💼 FedRAMP Moderate Security Controls → 💼 AU-3 Content of Audit Records (L)(M)(H)139no data
💼 FedRAMP Moderate Security Controls → 💼 AU-6(1) Automated Process Integration (M)(H)6no data
💼 FedRAMP Moderate Security Controls → 💼 AU-6(3) Correlate Audit Record Repositories (M)(H)17no data
💼 FedRAMP Moderate Security Controls → 💼 AU-7(1) Automatic Processing (M)(H)4no data
💼 FedRAMP Moderate Security Controls → 💼 AU-12 Audit Record Generation (L)(M)(H)74no data
💼 FedRAMP Moderate Security Controls → 💼 CA-7 Continuous Monitoring (L)(M)(H)228no data
💼 FedRAMP Moderate Security Controls → 💼 SI-4(5) System-generated Alerts (M)(H)4no data
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 DE.AE-02: Potentially adverse events are analyzed to better understand associated activities51no data
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 DE.AE-03: Information is correlated from multiple sources66no data
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 DE.CM-01: Networks and network services are monitored to find potentially adverse events185no data
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 DE.CM-02: The physical environment is monitored to find potentially adverse events28no data
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 DE.CM-03: Personnel activity and technology usage are monitored to find potentially adverse events105no data
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 DE.CM-06: External service provider activities and services are monitored to find potentially adverse events51no data
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 DE.CM-09: Computing hardware and software, runtime environments, and their data are monitored to find potentially adverse events182no data
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 ID.IM-01: Improvements are identified from evaluations47no 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 parties62no data
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 ID.IM-03: Improvements are identified from execution of operational processes, procedures, and activities62no data
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 ID.RA-01: Vulnerabilities in assets are identified, validated, and recorded47no data
💼 NIST CSF v2.0 → 💼 ID.RA-07: Changes and exceptions are managed, assessed for risk impact, recorded, and tracked50no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 AC-2(4) Account Management _ Automated Audit Actions1523no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 AC-4(26) Information Flow Enforcement _ Audit Filtering Actions18no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 AC-6(9) Least Privilege _ Log Use of Privileged Functions1725no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 AU-2 Event Logging427no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 AU-3 Content of Audit Records31539no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 AU-6(1) Audit Record Review, Analysis, and Reporting _ Automated Process Integration26no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 AU-6(3) Audit Record Review, Analysis, and Reporting _ Correlate Audit Record Repositories17no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 AU-6(4) Audit Record Review, Analysis, and Reporting _ Central Review and Analysis17no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 AU-6(5) Audit Record Review, Analysis, and Reporting _ Integrated Analysis of Audit Records4no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 AU-7(1) Audit Record Reduction and Report Generation _ Automatic Processing24no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 AU-9(7) Protection of Audit Information _ Store on Component with Different Operating System2no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 AU-10 Non-repudiation516no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 AU-12 Audit Record Generation44874no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 CA-7 Continuous Monitoring628no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 SC-7(9) Boundary Protection _ Restrict Threatening Outgoing Communications Traffic35no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 SI-3(8) Malicious Code Protection _ Detect Unauthorized Commands13no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 SI-4(5) System Monitoring _ System-generated Alerts4no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 SI-4(20) System Monitoring _ Privileged Users12no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 SI-7(8) Software, Firmware, and Information Integrity _ Auditing Capability for Significant Events17no data
💼 NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 → 💼 SI-20 Tainting4no data
💼 PCI DSS v3.2.1 → 💼 10.2 Implement automated audit trails for all system components.7633no data
💼 PCI DSS v3.2.1 → 💼 10.5.3 Promptly back up audit trail files to a centralized log server or media that is difficult to alter.3no data
💼 PCI DSS v3.2.1 → 💼 10.5.4 Write logs for external-facing technologies onto a secure, centralized, internal log server or media device.3no data
💼 PCI DSS v3.2.1 → 💼 10.6.2 Review logs of all other system components periodically based on the organization's policies and risk management strategy, as determined by the organization's annual risk assessment.9no data
💼 PCI DSS v4.0.1 → 💼 10.2.1 Audit logs are enabled and active for all system components and cardholder data.732no data
💼 PCI DSS v4.0.1 → 💼 10.3.3 Audit log files, including those for external-facing technologies, are promptly backed up to a secure, central, internal log server(s) or other media that is difficult to modify.3no data
💼 PCI DSS v4.0.1 → 💼 10.4.2 Logs of all other system components are reviewed periodically.19no data
💼 PCI DSS v4.0 → 💼 10.2.1 Audit logs are enabled and active for all system components and cardholder data.7132no data
💼 PCI DSS v4.0 → 💼 10.3.3 Audit log files, including those for external-facing technologies, are promptly backed up to a secure, central, internal log server(s) or other media that is difficult to modify.3no data
💼 PCI DSS v4.0 → 💼 10.4.2 Logs of all other system components are reviewed periodically.19no data