AU-11_audit-record-retention
DevOps & SecurityAU-11_audit-record-retention is an Agent Skill for devops & security published in the CyberStrikeus/CyberStrike repository on GitHub: a SKILL.md instruction file an AI agent can load to do this task.
Retain audit records for [organization-defined] to provide support for after-the-fact investigations of incidents and to meet regulatory and organizat
How to use this skill
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Inspect the Agent Skill at https://github.com/CyberStrikeus/CyberStrike/blob/HEAD/.cyberstrike/skill/NIST/SP800-53_rev5/AU_audit-and-accountability/AU-11_audit-record-retention/SKILL.md and all supporting files. Report provenance, permissions, scripts, dependencies, and security risks. Propose an exact installation into .agents/skills/au-11-audit-record-retention, but wait for my approval before writing files or running scripts.
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AU-11 Audit Record Retention
High-Level Description
Family: Audit and Accountability (AU) Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5
Organizations retain audit records until it is determined that the records are no longer needed for administrative, legal, audit, or other operational purposes. This includes the retention and availability of audit records relative to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, subpoenas, and law enforcement actions. Organizations develop standard categories of audit records relative to such types of actions and standard response processes for each type of action. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) General Records Schedules provide federal policy on records retention.
What to Check
- Verify AU-11 Audit Record Retention is documented in SSP
- Confirm control is operating effectively
- Review evidence of continuous monitoring for AU-11
How to Test
Step 1: Review Documentation
Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for AU-11 implementation details. Verify the organization has documented how this control is satisfied.
Step 2: Validate Implementation
# For cloud environments, use cloud-audit-mcp tools
# For on-premises, review system configurations directly
# Example: Check if account management policies exist
grep -r "account.management\|access.control" /etc/security/ 2>/dev/null
Step 3: Test Operating Effectiveness
Verify the control is actively functioning, not just documented. Check logs, configurations, and operational evidence.
Tools
| Tool | Purpose | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| cloud-audit-mcp | Check logging configuration | cloud_audit_logging |
| AWS CLI | Review CloudTrail/CloudWatch | aws cloudtrail describe-trails |
Remediation Guide
Control Statement
Retain audit records for [organization-defined] to provide support for after-the-fact investigations of incidents and to meet regulatory and organizational information retention requirements.
Implementation Guidance
Organizations retain audit records until it is determined that the records are no longer needed for administrative, legal, audit, or other operational purposes. This includes the retention and availability of audit records relative to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, subpoenas, and law enforcement actions. Organizations develop standard categories of audit records relative to such types of actions and standard response processes for each type of action. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) General Records Schedules provide federal policy on records retention.
Risk Assessment
| Finding | Severity | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| AU-11 Audit Record Retention not implemented | Medium | Audit and Accountability |
| AU-11 partially implemented | Low | Incomplete Audit and Accountability |
CWE Categories
| CWE ID | Title |
|---|---|
| CWE-778 | Insufficient Logging |
References
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 - AU-11
- NIST SP 800-53A Rev 5 (Assessment Procedures)
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 Full Catalog
Checklist
- Control documented in SSP
- Implementation evidence collected
- Operating effectiveness validated
- Continuous monitoring in place
- Related controls (AU-2, AU-4, AU-5, AU-6, AU-9) reviewed