AWS Audit Log Exposure Remediation

Learn how to fix exposed audit logs in AWS environments. Follow step-by-step guidance for SOC 2 compliance and secure log management.

data exposure

SOC 2

aws

Why It Matters

The core goal is to identify and remediate exposed audit logs in your AWS environment before they become a security incident. Audit logs contain critical operational and security information that, when exposed, can reveal system vulnerabilities, user activities, and configuration details to unauthorized parties. Fixing audit log exposure is essential for organizations subject to SOC 2 compliance, as it demonstrates proper security controls and monitoring capabilities.

Primary Risk: Data exposure through unsecured audit logs

Relevant Regulation: SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria

Proper remediation ensures audit logs are encrypted, access-controlled, and monitored, maintaining the integrity of your security posture and compliance requirements.

Prerequisites

Permissions & Roles

  • IAM admin or CloudTrail admin privileges
  • CloudWatch Logs full access
  • KMS key management permissions
  • S3 bucket policy modification rights

External Tools

  • AWS CLI configured
  • Cyera DSPM account
  • AWS Config (recommended)
  • AWS Security Hub integration

Prior Setup

  • AWS account with active services
  • CloudTrail trails configured
  • CloudWatch Logs groups identified
  • Current exposure assessment complete

Introducing Cyera

Cyera is a modern Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) platform that discovers, classifies, and continuously monitors your sensitive data across cloud services. Using advanced AI and natural language processing (NLP), Cyera automatically identifies exposed audit logs, analyzes log content for sensitive patterns, and provides intelligent remediation recommendations to secure your AWS audit trail infrastructure in real time.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Secure CloudTrail log storage

Enable encryption for CloudTrail logs using AWS KMS and ensure S3 buckets have proper access controls. Remove any public read permissions and implement bucket policies that restrict access to authorized users only.

aws cloudtrail put-event-selectors --trail-name my-trail --kms-key-id arn:aws:kms:region:account:key/key-id

2
Encrypt CloudWatch Logs

In the Cyera portal, review identified CloudWatch log groups and apply KMS encryption. Configure log retention policies and ensure proper IAM permissions are in place to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive audit data.

3
Implement access controls

Review and update IAM policies to follow the principle of least privilege. Create dedicated service roles for log access and implement resource-based policies on S3 buckets and CloudWatch log groups to restrict access.

4
Enable monitoring and alerting

Set up CloudWatch alarms and AWS Config rules to monitor for unauthorized access attempts to audit logs. Configure notifications through SNS topics and integrate with your security incident response workflow.

Architecture & Workflow

AWS CloudTrail

Source of API audit logs and system events

CloudWatch Logs

Application and system log aggregation

Cyera Scanner

AI-powered log analysis and exposure detection

Remediation Engine

Automated fix deployment and monitoring

Remediation Flow Summary

Identify Exposure → Apply Encryption → Update Access Controls → Monitor & Alert

Best Practices & Tips

Encryption Strategy

  • Use customer-managed KMS keys for granular control
  • Implement key rotation policies
  • Separate keys for different log types

Access Management

  • Implement cross-account access controls
  • Use resource-based policies for fine-grained control
  • Regular access reviews and audits

Common Pitfalls

  • Forgetting to encrypt existing log data
  • Overly permissive bucket policies
  • Neglecting log retention and lifecycle policies

References & Further Reading

Next Steps

🛡️ Prevent: Set up proactive audit log protection 🔍 Detect: Implement audit log monitoring and scanning