---
title: CloudWatch without retention period specified
description: Datadog, the leading service for cloud-scale monitoring.
breadcrumbs: >-
  Docs > Datadog Security > Code Security > Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
  Security > IaC Security Rules > CloudWatch without retention period specified
---

# CloudWatch without retention period specified

{% callout %}
# Important note for users on the following Datadog sites: app.ddog-gov.com, us2.ddog-gov.com

{% alert level="danger" %}
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{% /callout %}

## Metadata{% #metadata %}

**Id:** `terraform-aws-cloudwatch-without-retention-period-specified` 

**Provider:** AWS

**Platform:** Terraform

**Severity:** Low

**Category:** Observability

#### Learn More{% #learn-more %}

- [Provider Reference](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/hashicorp/aws/latest/docs/resources/cloudwatch_log_group)

### Description{% #description %}

CloudWatch log groups in AWS should explicitly specify the `retention_in_days` attribute to control how long log data is stored. If this attribute is omitted or set to `0`, as shown below, logs are retained indefinitely, increasing storage costs and the risk of sensitive data exposure over time:

```
resource "aws_cloudwatch_log_group" "example" {
  name = "application-logs"
  retention_in_days = 0
}
```

A secure configuration, specifying `retention_in_days`, ensures log data is automatically deleted after the defined period, reducing unnecessary data retention and helping meet compliance requirements:

```
resource "aws_cloudwatch_log_group" "example" {
  name = "application-logs"
  retention_in_days = 7
}
```

## Compliant Code Examples{% #compliant-code-examples %}

```terraform
resource "aws_cloudwatch_log_group" "negative1" {
  name = "Yada"

  tags = {
    Environment = "production"
    Application = "serviceA"
  }

  retention_in_days = 1
}
```

## Non-Compliant Code Examples{% #non-compliant-code-examples %}

```terraform
resource "aws_cloudwatch_log_group" "positive1" {
  name = "Yada"

  tags = {
    Environment = "production"
    Application = "serviceA"
  }
}

resource "aws_cloudwatch_log_group" "positive2" {
  name = "Yada"

  tags = {
    Environment = "production"
    Application = "serviceA"
  }

  retention_in_days = 0
}
```