For AI agents: A markdown version of this page is available at https://docs.datadoghq.com/security/code_security/iac_security/iac_rules/terraform-aws-cloudwatch-aws-config-configuration-changes-alarm-missing.md. A documentation index is available at /llms.txt.

CloudWatch AWS Config configuration changes alarm missing

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Metadata

Id: terraform-aws-cloudwatch-aws-config-configuration-changes-alarm-missing

Provider: AWS

Platform: Terraform

Severity: Medium

Category: Observability

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Description

A log metric filter and alarm should be configured in AWS CloudWatch to detect changes to AWS Config settings, such as stopping the configuration recorder or modifying delivery channels. Without properly linking the aws_cloudwatch_log_metric_filter and the aws_cloudwatch_metric_alarm—for example, by incorrectly setting the metric_name in the alarm—the system may fail to alert administrators to unauthorized or unintended configuration changes. This could result in undetected activity that undermines compliance or security auditing, potentially exposing the environment to security risks.

A secure Terraform configuration should reference the correct filter name in the alarm, as shown below:

resource "aws_cloudwatch_metric_alarm" "CIS_AWS_Config_Change_CW_Alarm" {
  alarm_name          = "CIS-3.9-AWSConfigChanges"
  metric_name         = aws_cloudwatch_log_metric_filter.CIS_AWS_Config_Change_Metric_Filter.id
  namespace           = "CIS_Metric_Alarm_Namespace"
  // ...other configuration...
}

Compliant Code Examples

resource "aws_cloudwatch_log_metric_filter" "CIS_AWS_Config_Change_Metric_Filter" {
  name           = "CIS-AWSConfigChanges"
  pattern        = "{ ($.eventSource = \"config.amazonaws.com\") && (($.eventName=StopConfigurationRecorder)||($.eventName=DeleteDeliveryChannel)||($.eventName=PutDeliveryChannel)||($.eventName=PutConfigurationRecorder)) }"
  log_group_name = aws_cloudwatch_log_group.CIS_CloudWatch_LogsGroup.name

  metric_transformation {
    name      = "CIS-AWSConfigChanges"
    namespace = "CIS_Metric_Alarm_Namespace"
    value     = "1"
  }
}
resource "aws_cloudwatch_metric_alarm" "CIS_AWS_Config_Change_CW_Alarm" {
  alarm_name                = "CIS-3.9-AWSConfigChanges"
  comparison_operator       = "GreaterThanOrEqualToThreshold"
  evaluation_periods        = "1"
  metric_name               = aws_cloudwatch_log_metric_filter.CIS_AWS_Config_Change_Metric_Filter.id
  namespace                 = "CIS_Metric_Alarm_Namespace"
  period                    = "300"
  statistic                 = "Sum"
  threshold                 = "1"
  alarm_description         = "Monitoring changes to AWS Config configuration will help ensure sustained visibility of configuration items within the AWS account."
  alarm_actions             = [aws_sns_topic.CIS_Alerts_SNS_Topic.arn]
  insufficient_data_actions = []
}

Non-Compliant Code Examples

resource "aws_cloudwatch_log_metric_filter" "CIS_AWS_Config_Change_Metric_Filter" {
  name           = "CIS-AWSConfigChanges"
  pattern        = "{ ($.eventSource = \"config.amazonaws.com\") && (($.eventName=StopConfigurationRecorder)||($.eventName=DeleteDeliveryChannel)||($.eventName=PutDeliveryChannel)||($.eventName=PutConfigurationRecorder)) }"
  log_group_name = aws_cloudwatch_log_group.CIS_CloudWatch_LogsGroup.name

  metric_transformation {
    name      = "CIS-AWSConfigChanges"
    namespace = "CIS_Metric_Alarm_Namespace"
    value     = "1"
  }
}
resource "aws_cloudwatch_metric_alarm" "CIS_AWS_Config_Change_CW_Alarm" {
  alarm_name                = "CIS-3.9-AWSConfigChanges"
  comparison_operator       = "GreaterThanOrEqualToThreshold"
  evaluation_periods        = "1"
  metric_name               = "XXXX NOT YOUR FILTER XXXX"
  namespace                 = "CIS_Metric_Alarm_Namespace"
  period                    = "300"
  statistic                 = "Sum"
  threshold                 = "1"
  alarm_description         = "Monitoring changes to AWS Config configuration will help ensure sustained visibility of configuration items within the AWS account."
  alarm_actions             = [aws_sns_topic.CIS_Alerts_SNS_Topic.arn]
  insufficient_data_actions = []
}

resource "aws_cloudwatch_log_metric_filter" "cis_no_mfa_console_signin_metric_filter" {
  name           = "CIS-ConsoleSigninWithoutMFA"
  pattern        = "{ ($.eventName = \"ConsoleLogin\") && ($.additionalEventData.MFAUsed != \"Yes\") }"
  log_group_name = aws_cloudwatch_log_group.CIS_CloudWatch_LogsGroup.name

  metric_transformation {
    name      = "CIS-ConsoleSigninWithoutMFA"
    namespace = "CIS_Metric_Alarm_Namespace"
    value     = "1"
  }
}

resource "aws_cloudwatch_metric_alarm" "cis_no_mfa_console_signin_cw_alarm" {
  alarm_name                = "CIS-3.2-ConsoleSigninWithoutMFA"
  comparison_operator       = "GreaterThanOrEqualToThreshold"
  evaluation_periods        = "1"
  metric_name               = aws_cloudwatch_log_metric_filter.cis_no_mfa_console_signin_metric_filter.id
  namespace                 = "CIS_Metric_Alarm_Namespace"
  period                    = "300"
  statistic                 = "Sum"
  threshold                 = "1"
  alarm_description         = "Monitoring for single-factor console logins will increase visibility into accounts that are not protected by MFA."
  alarm_actions             = [aws_sns_topic.CIS_Alerts_SNS_Topic.arn]
  insufficient_data_actions = []
}

resource "aws_cloudwatch_log_metric_filter" "CIS_AWS_Config_Change_Metric_Filter" {
  name           = "CIS-AWSConfigChanges"
  pattern        = "{ ($.eventSource = \"config.amazonaws.com\") && (($.eventName=StopConfigurationRecorder)||($.eventName=PutDeliveryChannel)||($.eventName=PutConfigurationRecorder)) }"
  log_group_name = aws_cloudwatch_log_group.CIS_CloudWatch_LogsGroup.name

  metric_transformation {
    name      = "CIS-AWSConfigChanges"
    namespace = "CIS_Metric_Alarm_Namespace"
    value     = "1"
  }
}
resource "aws_cloudwatch_metric_alarm" "CIS_AWS_Config_Change_CW_Alarm" {
  alarm_name                = "CIS-3.9-AWSConfigChanges"
  comparison_operator       = "GreaterThanOrEqualToThreshold"
  evaluation_periods        = "1"
  metric_name               = "XXXX NOT YOUR FILTER XXXX"
  namespace                 = "CIS_Metric_Alarm_Namespace"
  period                    = "300"
  statistic                 = "Sum"
  threshold                 = "1"
  alarm_description         = "Monitoring changes to AWS Config configuration will help ensure sustained visibility of configuration items within the AWS account."
  alarm_actions             = [aws_sns_topic.CIS_Alerts_SNS_Topic.arn]
  insufficient_data_actions = []
}