Rule: EC2 Instances Should Be Protected by Backup Plan
This rule ensures that EC2 instances are safeguarded with a backup plan to prevent data loss or system failure.
| Rule | EC2 instances should be protected by backup plan |
| Framework | Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) |
| Severity | ✔ Medium |
EC2 Instances Backup Compliance with FFIEC Guidelines
Overview
The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) outlines standards for backup and recovery processes to ensure the resilience of financial institutions against data loss. Protecting Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) instances via a structured backup plan is of paramount importance for compliance.
Rule Description
Compliance Objectives
- 1.Regular backups of critical data
- 2.Secure storage of backup copies
- 3.Testing of backup and restore processes
- 4.Documentation of backup procedures
EC2 Backup Rule Details
- Frequency: Backups should be conducted periodically based on data criticality.
- Retention: Backup data must be retained in accordance with the data retention policies mandated by FFIEC.
- Security: Backups should be encrypted to maintain confidentiality and integrity.
- Recovery: The ability to quickly restore from backup in the event of data loss is necessary.
Troubleshooting Steps
If backups for EC2 instances fail to meet FFIEC guidelines, the following steps should be taken:
- 1.Verify Backup Frequency: Ensure that the schedule is appropriate for the criticality of the data.
- 2.Check Retention Policies: Confirm backups are retained for the required duration.
- 3.Validate Encryption: Ensure that backups are encrypted during transit and at rest.
- 4.Test Recoveries: Periodically perform recovery tests to validate the backup integrity.
Necessary Codes and Commands
The AWS Command Line Interface (CLI) or AWS SDKs can be used to manage EC2 instance backups compliant with FFIEC guidelines.
Creating and Managing EC2 Backups using AWS CLI
Create a snapshot of an EC2 volume:
aws ec2 create-snapshot --volume-id <volume-id> --description "FFIEC compliance backup"Copy a snapshot with encryption:
aws ec2 copy-snapshot --source-region <source-region> --source-snapshot-id <source-snapshot-id> --description "Encrypted FFIEC compliance backup" --encryptedAutomate backups using Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager:
- Create a backup policy JSON file (
) defining the policy rules.backup-policy.json
{ "Rules": [ { "Schedule": { "Frequency": 24, "Interval": 1, "IntervalUnit": "HOURS" }, "Status": "ENABLED", "TargetTags": [{"Key":"Backup","Value":"FFIEC"}], "RetentionSchedule": { "RetentionPeriodUnit": "MONTHS", "RetentionPeriod": 6 } } ], "Description": "FFIEC-compliant backup strategy" }- Use the AWS CLI to create a lifecycle policy:
aws dlm create-lifecycle-policy --execution-role-arn <role-arn> --description "FFIEC Lifecycle Policy" --state ENABLED --policy-details file://backup-policy.json
Step by Step Guide for Remediation
To ensure effective compliance with FFIEC guidelines, follow these remediation steps:
- 1.
Assess Backup Requirements: Evaluate the criticality of data on each EC2 instance and determine necessary backup frequency and retention period.
- 2.
Configure or Update Backups: Use AWS Backup or Data Lifecycle Manager to create policies that align with FFIEC requirements.
- 3.
Enable Encryption: Encrypt snapshots using AWS KMS to ensure data is secure during transit and at rest.
- 4.
Document Backup Procedures: Maintain clear, written policies documenting all backup processes and ensure personnel are aware of their roles.
- 5.
Perform Regular Testing: Schedule and conduct regular tests of recovery processes to ensure compliance and preparedness.
- 6.
Monitor and Review: Regularly review your backup strategy for compliance with FFIEC guidelines and current best practices.
- 7.
Modify as Needed: Adjust your backup procedures as organizational or regulatory requirements change.
By following this detailed and precise rule implementation and validation guide, EC2 instances will be protected with the backup plan that complies with FFIEC guidelines.