AU-8_time-stamps
DevOps & SecurityAU-8_time-stamps 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.
Use internal system clocks to generate time stamps for audit records;
How to use this skill
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- Open your project in Codex.
- Copy and paste the prompt below.
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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-8_time-stamps/SKILL.md and all supporting files. Report provenance, permissions, scripts, dependencies, and security risks. Propose an exact installation into .agents/skills/au-8-time-stamps, but wait for my approval before writing files or running scripts.
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AU-8 Time Stamps
High-Level Description
Family: Audit and Accountability (AU) Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5
Time stamps generated by the system include date and time. Time is commonly expressed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), a modern continuation of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), or local time with an offset from UTC. Granularity of time measurements refers to the degree of synchronization between system clocks and reference clocks (e.g., clocks synchronizing within hundreds of milliseconds or tens of milliseconds). Organizations may define different time granularities for different system components. Time service can be critical to other security capabilities such as access control and identification and authentication, depending on the nature of the mechanisms used to support those capabilities.
What to Check
- Verify AU-8 Time Stamps is documented in SSP
- Validate all 2 control requirements are implemented
- Confirm control is operating effectively
- Review evidence of continuous monitoring for AU-8
How to Test
Step 1: Review Documentation
Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for AU-8 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
Use internal system clocks to generate time stamps for audit records; and Record time stamps for audit records that meet [organization-defined] and that use Coordinated Universal Time, have a fixed local time offset from Coordinated Universal Time, or that include the local time offset as part of the time stamp.
Implementation Guidance
Time stamps generated by the system include date and time. Time is commonly expressed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), a modern continuation of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), or local time with an offset from UTC. Granularity of time measurements refers to the degree of synchronization between system clocks and reference clocks (e.g., clocks synchronizing within hundreds of milliseconds or tens of milliseconds). Organizations may define different time granularities for different system components. Time service can be critical to other security capabilities such as access control and identification and authentication, depending on the nature of the mechanisms used to support those capabilities.
Risk Assessment
| Finding | Severity | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| AU-8 Time Stamps not implemented | Medium | Audit and Accountability |
| AU-8 partially implemented | Low | Incomplete Audit and Accountability |
CWE Categories
| CWE ID | Title |
|---|---|
| CWE-778 | Insufficient Logging |
References
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 - AU-8
- 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-3, AU-12, AU-14, SC-45) reviewed