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AWS CloudFormation Misconfiguration: Insufficient Log Group Logging

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Abstract

The template defines a CloudWatch Log Group with no retention period.

Explanation

By default CloudWatch Log Groups retain logs indefinitely. An unset value indicates that organizational data handling polices have not been consulted in order to set appropriate configurations. This might mean that the organization will incur unnecessary expenses in storing and managing logging events that are no longer relevant.

An attacker can launch a Denial of Wallet (DoW) attack by persistently prompting spurious event-logging over an extended period of time, which can impact the organization financially.

Example 1: The following example shows a template that fails to define a retention policy.


{
    "AWSTemplateFormatVersion": "2010-09-09",
    "Resources": {
        "MyLogGroup": {
            "Type": "AWS::Logs::LogGroup",
            "Properties": {
                "LogGroupName": "Service01LogGroup"
            }
        }
    }
}

References

[1] Tal Melamed and Marcin Hoppe OWASP Serverless Top 10 (2017)

[2] AWS AWS Documentation: Working with Log Groups and Log Streams

[3] Daniel Kelly, Frank G.Glavin, Enda Barrett Journal of Information Security and Applications: Denial of wallet—Defining a looming threat to serverless computing

[4] Standards Mapping - Common Weakness Enumeration CWE ID 778

[5] Standards Mapping - DISA Control Correlation Identifier Version 2 CCI-000172

[6] Standards Mapping - FIPS200 CM

[7] Standards Mapping - NIST Special Publication 800-53 Revision 4 AU-12 Audit Generation (P1)

[8] Standards Mapping - NIST Special Publication 800-53 Revision 5 AU-12 Audit Record Generation

[9] Standards Mapping - OWASP API 2023 API8 Security Misconfiguration

[10] Standards Mapping - OWASP Application Security Verification Standard 4.0 7.1.3 Log Content Requirements (L2 L3), 7.1.4 Log Content Requirements (L2 L3), 7.2.1 Log Processing Requirements (L2 L3), 7.2.2 Log Processing Requirements (L2 L3)

[11] Standards Mapping - OWASP Mobile 2014 M1 Weak Server Side Controls

[12] Standards Mapping - OWASP Top 10 2004 A10 Insecure Configuration Management

[13] Standards Mapping - OWASP Top 10 2010 A6 Security Misconfiguration

[14] Standards Mapping - OWASP Top 10 2013 A5 Security Misconfiguration

[15] Standards Mapping - OWASP Top 10 2017 A6 Security Misconfiguration, A10 Insufficient Logging and Monitoring

[16] Standards Mapping - OWASP Top 10 2021 A09 Security Logging and Monitoring Failures

[17] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 1.1 Requirement 6.5.10, Requirement 10.2.1, Requirement 10.2.4, Requirement 10.3.4

[18] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 1.2 Requirement 10.2.1, Requirement 10.2.4, Requirement 10.3.4

[19] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 2.0 Requirement 10.2.1, Requirement 10.2.4, Requirement 10.3.4

[20] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 3.0 Requirement 10.2.1, Requirement 10.2.4, Requirement 10.3.4

[21] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 3.1 Requirement 10.2.1, Requirement 10.2.4, Requirement 10.3.4

[22] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 3.2 Requirement 10.2.1, Requirement 10.2.4, Requirement 10.3.4

[23] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 3.2.1 Requirement 10.2.1, Requirement 10.2.4, Requirement 10.3.4

[24] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 4.0 Requirement 10.2.1, Requirement 10.2.1.4, Requirement 10.2.2

[25] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 4.0.1 Requirement 10.2.1, Requirement 10.2.1.4, Requirement 10.2.2

[26] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Software Security Framework 1.0 Control Objective 8.2 - Activity Tracking

[27] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Software Security Framework 1.1 Control Objective 8.2 - Activity Tracking

[28] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Software Security Framework 1.2 Control Objective 8.2 - Activity Tracking

[29] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.1 APP3680.4 CAT II, APP3680.5 CAT II

[30] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.4 APP3680.4 CAT II, APP3680.5 CAT II

[31] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.5 APP3680.4 CAT II, APP3680.5 CAT II

[32] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.6 APP3680.4 CAT II, APP3680.5 CAT II

[33] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.7 APP3680.4 CAT II, APP3680.5 CAT II

[34] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.9 APP3680.4 CAT II, APP3680.5 CAT II

[35] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.10 APP3680.4 CAT II, APP3680.5 CAT II

[36] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.2 APSC-DV-000830 CAT II

[37] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.3 APSC-DV-000830 CAT II

[38] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.4 APSC-DV-000830 CAT II

[39] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.5 APSC-DV-000830 CAT II

[40] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.6 APSC-DV-000830 CAT II

[41] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.7 APSC-DV-000830 CAT II

[42] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.8 APSC-DV-000830 CAT II

[43] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.9 APSC-DV-000830 CAT II

[44] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.10 APSC-DV-000830 CAT II

[45] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.11 APSC-DV-000830 CAT II

[46] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.1 APSC-DV-000830 CAT II

[47] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 5.1 APSC-DV-000830 CAT II

[48] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 5.2 APSC-DV-000830 CAT II

[49] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 5.3 APSC-DV-000830 CAT II

[50] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 6.1 APSC-DV-000830 CAT II

[51] Standards Mapping - Web Application Security Consortium Version 2.00 Application Misconfiguration (WASC-15)

desc.structural.json.aws_cloudformation_misconfiguration_insufficient_log_group_logging.base

Abstract

The template defines a CloudWatch Log Group with no retention period.

Explanation

By default CloudWatch Log Groups retain logs indefinitely. An unset value indicates that organizational data handling policies have not been consulted in order to set appropriate configurations. This might mean that the organization will incur unnecessary expenses in storing and managing logging events that are no longer relevant.

An attacker can launch a Denial of Wallet (DoW) attack by persistently prompting spurious event-logging over an extended period of time, which can impact the organization financially.

Example 1: The following example shows a template that fails to define a retention policy.


AWSTemplateFormatVersion: "2010-09-09"
Resources:
  MyLogGroup:
    Type: AWS::Logs::LogGroup
  Properties:
    LogGroupName: Service01LogGroup