RMF Control AU-2: Event Logging requires organizations to implement a comprehensive event logging program to collect, analyze, and retain audit logs. Audit logs are records of events that occur on information systems. Event logging can help organizations to detect and respond to security incidents, investigate suspicious activity, and comply with regulations.
Supplemental Guidance
The Risk Management Framework (RMF) is a cybersecurity framework that provides a process for managing cybersecurity risk to systems and organizations. RMF Control AU-2: Event Logging is one of the controls in the AU family, which addresses audit and accountability.
Event logging is important for a number of reasons. First, it can help organizations to detect and respond to security incidents. By analyzing event logs, organizations can identify suspicious activity that may indicate a security incident. Once a security incident has been detected, organizations can use event logs to investigate the incident and determine the appropriate response.
Second, event logging can help organizations to investigate suspicious activity. Even if an organization does not detect a security incident, event logs can be used to investigate suspicious activity that may not be immediately apparent as a security incident. For example, an organization may use event logs to investigate a sudden increase in network traffic or a failed login attempt.
Third, event logging can help organizations to comply with regulations. Many regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), require organizations to maintain audit logs. Audit logs can help organizations to demonstrate compliance with these regulations.
Benefits of Implementing RMF Control AU-2
There are a number of benefits to implementing RMF Control AU-2, including:
- Improved security posture: Event logging can help organizations to improve their security posture by helping them to detect, respond to, and investigate security incidents.
- Reduced risk of security incidents: Event logging can help to reduce the risk of security incidents by helping organizations to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities.
- Improved compliance: Event logging can help organizations to comply with many regulations that require organizations to maintain audit logs.
How to Implement RMF Control AU-2
To implement RMF Control AU-2, organizations should:
- Identify the information systems that need to be monitored.
- Identify the types of events that need to be logged.
- Implement a system for collecting and storing event logs.
- Implement a process for analyzing event logs for suspicious activity.
- Implement a process for responding to security incidents that are detected through event logging.
- Monitor and update the event logging program on an ongoing basis.
Examples of Event Logging
Some examples of event logging include:
- System logs: System logs record events that occur on operating systems and other system software.
- Application logs: Application logs record events that occur in applications.
- Security logs: Security logs record security-related events, such as login attempts and failed access attempts.
- Network logs: Network logs record network traffic.
Conclusion
RMF Control AU-2: Event Logging is an important control that can help organizations to improve their security posture, reduce the risk of security incidents, and improve compliance. By implementing RMF Control AU-2, organizations can implement a comprehensive event logging program to collect, analyze, and retain audit logs.
Additional Tips for Implementing RMF Control AU-2
- Use a centralized event logging system: A centralized event logging system can help organizations to collect and analyze event logs more effectively.
- Use a security information and event management (SIEM) system: A SIEM system can help organizations to automate the analysis of event logs and to identify suspicious activity.
- Retain event logs for a sufficient period of time: Organizations should retain event logs for a sufficient period of time to support investigations and to comply with regulations.
- Monitor the event logging system: Organizations should monitor the event logging system to ensure that it is collecting and storing event logs as expected.
By following these tips, organizations can effectively implement RMF Control AU-2 and improve their security posture.