Rule: Lambda Functions Configured with a Dead-Letter Queue
This rule ensures Lambda functions are configured with a dead-letter queue for efficient error handling.
| Rule | Lambda functions should be configured with a dead-letter queue |
| Framework | NIST 800-53 Revision 5 |
| Severity | ✔ Medium |
Rule Description
Lambda functions should be configured with a dead-letter queue to comply with the NIST 800-53 Revision 5 security control requirements. A dead-letter queue allows messages that cannot be processed by a Lambda function to be redirected and stored for further analysis. This helps in identifying the root cause of any processing failures and facilitates troubleshooting and remediation.
Troubleshooting Steps (if necessary)
If your Lambda function is not configured with a dead-letter queue, you may encounter the following issues:
- Incomplete or unsuccessful message processing without any error logs or notifications.
- Difficulty in identifying the cause of processing failures.
- Lack of visibility into the failed invocations and the ability to investigate and resolve the underlying issues.
Necessary Codes (if applicable)
To configure a dead-letter queue for a Lambda function, you need to modify the function's settings using AWS SDK or AWS CLI. The necessary code snippet using AWS CLI is as follows:
aws lambda update-function-configuration --function-name <function-name> --dead-letter-config TargetArn=<dead-letter-queue-arn>
Replace
<function-name><dead-letter-queue-arn>Remediation Steps
Follow these step-by-step instructions to configure a dead-letter queue for a Lambda function using AWS CLI:
- 1.Open the AWS CLI on your local machine or terminal.
- 2.Execute the following command to update the configuration of your Lambda function:
Replaceaws lambda update-function-configuration --function-name <function-name> --dead-letter-config TargetArn=<dead-letter-queue-arn>
with the actual name of your Lambda function and<function-name>
with the ARN of the dead-letter queue.<dead-letter-queue-arn> - 3.Verify the configuration update by executing the following command:
Replaceaws lambda get-function-configuration --function-name <function-name> --query 'DeadLetterConfig'
with the actual name of your Lambda function.<function-name> - 4.If the command returns the dead-letter queue configuration, the update was successful.
Conclusion
Configuring a dead-letter queue for Lambda functions ensures compliance with the NIST 800-53 Revision 5 security control requirements. This not only helps in troubleshooting and diagnosing processing failures but also provides a mechanism for timely remediation. By following the provided steps and using the necessary code, you can easily configure a dead-letter queue for your Lambda function and enhance the security and reliability of your serverless applications.