Rule: API Gateway Stage Logging Should Be Enabled
This rule ensures that API Gateway stage logging is enabled to maintain security and track actions.
| Rule | API Gateway stage logging should be enabled |
| Framework | HIPAA |
| Severity | ✔ High |
Ensuring API Gateway Stage Logging is Enabled for HIPAA Compliance
AWS API Gateway is a fully managed service that makes it easy for developers to create, publish, maintain, monitor, and secure APIs at any scale. Logging is a critical part of maintaining security and compliance, especially when dealing with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulated data.
Understanding the Requirement for HIPAA
HIPAA compliance requires that all access to Protected Health Information (PHI) is logged and auditable. This means that for any API Gateway stages handling PHI, logging must be enabled and configured to record access and usage details. This ensures that any potential breaches or unauthorized access can be identified and addressed promptly.
API Gateway Stage Logging Configuration
Step-by-Step Configuration Guide
- 1.
Enabling CloudWatch Logs for API Gateway Stage:
- Navigate to the AWS Management Console.
- Open the API Gateway service.
- Select your API.
- Choose the Stage you want to enable logging for.
- Under the "Logs/Tracing" tab, tick the "Enable CloudWatch Logs" option.
- Set the log level to "INFO" or "ERROR" as required for HIPAA compliance (INFO logs request and response data).
- Choose the correct IAM role that has permissions to write logs to CloudWatch.
- 2.
Setting up CloudWatch Log Group and Stream:
- Go to the CloudWatch service in the AWS Management Console.
- Select "Logs" from the sidebar.
- Click "Create log group" and enter a name relevant to the API stage.
- Create a log stream within the log group if needed.
- 3.
Configure API Gateway to Use the CloudWatch Log Group:
- Associate the created log group with the API Gateway stage by specifying the ARN (Amazon Resource Name) in the API Gateway stage settings.
Necessary IAM Permissions
Ensure that the IAM role used for logging has the following permissions:
{
"Version": "2012-10-17",
"Statement": [
{
"Effect": "Allow",
"Action": [
"logs:CreateLogGroup",
"logs:CreateLogStream",
"logs:DescribeLogGroups",
"logs:DescribeLogStreams",
"logs:PutLogEvents",
"logs:GetLogEvents",
"logs:FilterLogEvents"
],
"Resource": "*"
}
]
}
Troubleshooting
If you encounter issues with logging:
- 1.
Check IAM Role Permissions: Ensure the IAM role has the necessary permissions to create and write to CloudWatch logs.
- 2.
Inspect Log Group and Stream: Verify that the log group and stream exist within CloudWatch and are correctly associated with the API Gateway stage.
- 3.
Review API Gateway Settings: Revisit the API Gateway stage settings to confirm that logging is enabled and configured properly.
- 4.
Examine CloudWatch Logs: Look for errors in CloudWatch logs that might indicate permissions issues or misconfigurations.
- 5.
Validate Log Level: Make sure the log level is set to the appropriate degree (INFO or higher) to capture the required data under HIPAA regulations.
Remediation Using AWS CLI
If you are using the AWS Command Line Interface (CLI), follow these steps:
- 1.Enable CloudWatch Logs for API Gateway Stage:
aws apigateway update-stage \ --rest-api-id [api-id] \ --stage-name '[stage-name]' \ --patch-operations op='replace',path='/accessLogSettings/destinationArn',value='[cloudwatch-log-group-arn]' \ op='replace',path='/accessLogSettings/format',value='[log-format]' \ op='replace',path='/*/*/logging/dataTrace',value='true' \ op='replace',path='/*/*/logging/loglevel',value='INFO'
Replace
[api-id][stage-name][cloudwatch-log-group-arn][log-format]- 1.Create CloudWatch Log Group:
aws logs create-log-group --log-group-name [log-group-name]
Replace
[log-group-name]By following the above guidelines and steps, you can successfully enable stage logging for API Gateway in a manner that accelerates SEO by targeting key factors such as
API GatewayHIPAA complianceCloudWatchlogsAWS security