CloudWatch Alarm Action Enabled Rule
This rule ensures that CloudWatch alarm action is enabled for System and Information integrity (SI) benchmark.
| Rule | CloudWatch alarm action should be enabled |
| Framework | NIST 800-53 Revision 5 |
| Severity | ✔ High |
Rule Description: CloudWatch alarm action should be enabled for NIST 800-53 Revision 5.
Description:
CloudWatch alarms play a crucial role in monitoring and alerting AWS resources. To comply with NIST 800-53 Revision 5, it is important to ensure that appropriate actions are configured for CloudWatch alarms. This rule ensures that alarm actions are enabled as per the requirements specified in the NIST 800-53 Revision 5 controls.
Troubleshooting Steps:
If CloudWatch alarm actions are not enabled or configured as expected, follow these troubleshooting steps:
- 1.
Check Alarm Configuration:
- Go to the CloudWatch console.
- Navigate to Alarms, and select the alarm that is not triggering actions.
- Verify the alarm's configuration, including the threshold values, comparison operator, alarm state triggeration, and actions.
- 2.
Check Alarm Actions:
- Expand the "Actions" section of the alarm configuration.
- Ensure that relevant actions are properly configured to notify the appropriate stakeholders.
- Actions can include sending notifications via email, SMS, SNS topics, Lambda functions, or other supported AWS services.
- 3.
Check IAM Permissions:
- Verify the IAM permissions of the entities used by the CloudWatch alarm actions.
- Ensure that the IAM policies associated with the entities have the necessary permissions to execute the actions specified in the alarm configuration.
- 4.
Check CloudTrail Logs:
- Enable CloudTrail and review the logs related to CloudWatch.
- Look for any errors or inconsistencies that could be affecting the alarm action execution.
Remediation Steps:
To enable CloudWatch alarm actions or remediate any misconfigurations, follow these steps:
- 1.
Open the AWS Management Console and navigate to the CloudWatch service.
- 2.
Select "Alarms" from the left-hand navigation menu.
- 3.
Identify the alarm that needs to be modified or enabled.
- 4.
Click on the alarm to view its configuration.
- 5.
Scroll down to the "Actions" section and click on "Add/Edit Actions".
- 6.
Configure the desired actions based on the NIST 800-53 Revision 5 requirements.
- 7.
Select the appropriate action type(s) such as sending an email, SMS, SNS topic, or invoking a Lambda function.
- 8.
Provide the necessary details for each selected action type.
- 9.
Save the changes to enable the alarm actions.
- 10.
Test the alarm by triggering the conditions it is monitoring, and verify if the actions are executed as expected.
- 11.
Monitor the alarm regularly to ensure that it continues to function correctly and triggers the required actions.
Note: Ensure that the IAM policies associated with the entities executing the alarm actions have the necessary permissions.
Additional Resources:
- AWS CloudWatch Documentation: Link to AWS CloudWatch documentation
- NIST Special Publication 800-53 Revision 5: Link to NIST 800-53 Revision 5
Keywords
CloudWatch, alarm, actions, NIST 800-53 Revision 5, troubleshooting, remediation, AWS, IAM, CloudTrail, AWS Management Console, configuration.