RDS without logging

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Metadata

Id: 8d7f7b8c-6c7c-40f8-baa6-62006c6c7b56

Cloud Provider: aws

Framework: Terraform

Severity: Medium

Category: Observability

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Description

When an RDS instance does not have any logging enabled, critical database activities such as errors, slow queries, and general events are not captured or retained. This lack of visibility makes it difficult to detect anomalous behavior, troubleshoot incidents, or comply with auditing requirements. Enabling logging, for example, by setting enabled_cloudwatch_logs_exports = ["general", "error"] in Terraform, ensures that important logs are exported for monitoring and incident response purposes.

Compliant Code Examples

module "db" {
  source  = "terraform-aws-modules/rds/aws"
  version = "~> 3.0"

  identifier = "demodb"

  engine            = "mysql"
  engine_version    = "5.7.19"
  instance_class    = "db.t2.large"
  allocated_storage = 5
  enabled_cloudwatch_logs_exports = ["general", "error"]

  name     = "demodb"
  username = "user"
  password = "YourPwdShouldBeLongAndSecure!"
  port     = "3306"

  iam_database_authentication_enabled = true

  vpc_security_group_ids = ["sg-12345678"]

  maintenance_window = "Mon:00:00-Mon:03:00"
  backup_window      = "03:00-06:00"

  # Enhanced Monitoring - see example for details on how to create the role
  # by yourself, in case you don't want to create it automatically
  monitoring_interval = "30"
  monitoring_role_name = "MyRDSMonitoringRole"
  create_monitoring_role = true

  tags = {
    Owner       = "user"
    Environment = "dev"
  }

  # DB subnet group
  subnet_ids = ["subnet-12345678", "subnet-87654321"]

  # DB parameter group
  family = "mysql5.7"

  # DB option group
  major_engine_version = "5.7"

  # Database Deletion Protection
  deletion_protection = true

  parameters = [
    {
      name = "character_set_client"
      value = "utf8mb4"
    },
    {
      name = "character_set_server"
      value = "utf8mb4"
    }
  ]

  options = [
    {
      option_name = "MARIADB_AUDIT_PLUGIN"

      option_settings = [
        {
          name  = "SERVER_AUDIT_EVENTS"
          value = "CONNECT"
        },
        {
          name  = "SERVER_AUDIT_FILE_ROTATIONS"
          value = "37"
        },
      ]
    },
  ]
}

resource "aws_db_instance" "negative1" {
  allocated_storage = 5
  engine            = "postgres"
  instance_class    = "db.t3.small"
  password          = "admin"
  username          = "admin"

  enabled_cloudwatch_logs_exports = ["upgrade"]
}

resource "aws_db_instance" "negative2" {
  allocated_storage = 5
  engine            = "mariadb"
  instance_class    = "db.t3.small"
  password          = "admin"
  username          = "admin"

  enabled_cloudwatch_logs_exports = ["general", "error"]
}

module "db" {
  source  = "terraform-aws-modules/rds/aws"
  version = "~> 3.0"

  identifier = "demodb"

  engine            = "mysql"
  engine_version    = "5.7.19"
  instance_class    = "db.t2.large"
  allocated_storage = 5
  enabled_cloudwatch_logs_exports = ["upgrade"]

  name     = "demodb"
  username = "user"
  password = "YourPwdShouldBeLongAndSecure!"
  port     = "3306"

  iam_database_authentication_enabled = true

  vpc_security_group_ids = ["sg-12345678"]

  maintenance_window = "Mon:00:00-Mon:03:00"
  backup_window      = "03:00-06:00"

  # Enhanced Monitoring - see example for details on how to create the role
  # by yourself, in case you don't want to create it automatically
  monitoring_interval = "30"
  monitoring_role_name = "MyRDSMonitoringRole"
  create_monitoring_role = true

  tags = {
    Owner       = "user"
    Environment = "dev"
  }

  # DB subnet group
  subnet_ids = ["subnet-12345678", "subnet-87654321"]

  # DB parameter group
  family = "mysql5.7"

  # DB option group
  major_engine_version = "5.7"

  # Database Deletion Protection
  deletion_protection = true

  parameters = [
    {
      name = "character_set_client"
      value = "utf8mb4"
    },
    {
      name = "character_set_server"
      value = "utf8mb4"
    }
  ]

  options = [
    {
      option_name = "MARIADB_AUDIT_PLUGIN"

      option_settings = [
        {
          name  = "SERVER_AUDIT_EVENTS"
          value = "CONNECT"
        },
        {
          name  = "SERVER_AUDIT_FILE_ROTATIONS"
          value = "37"
        },
      ]
    },
  ]
}

Non-Compliant Code Examples

resource "aws_db_instance" "positive2" {
  allocated_storage = 5
  engine            = "postgres"
  instance_class    = "db.t3.small"
  password          = "admin"
  username          = "admin"
  enabled_cloudwatch_logs_exports = []
}

module "db" {
  source  = "terraform-aws-modules/rds/aws"
  version = "~> 3.0"

  identifier = "demodb"

  engine            = "mysql"
  engine_version    = "5.7.19"
  instance_class    = "db.t2.large"
  allocated_storage = 5

  name     = "demodb"
  username = "user"
  password = "YourPwdShouldBeLongAndSecure!"
  port     = "3306"

  iam_database_authentication_enabled = true

  vpc_security_group_ids = ["sg-12345678"]

  maintenance_window = "Mon:00:00-Mon:03:00"
  backup_window      = "03:00-06:00"

  # Enhanced Monitoring - see example for details on how to create the role
  # by yourself, in case you don't want to create it automatically
  monitoring_interval = "30"
  monitoring_role_name = "MyRDSMonitoringRole"
  create_monitoring_role = true

  tags = {
    Owner       = "user"
    Environment = "dev"
  }

  # DB subnet group
  subnet_ids = ["subnet-12345678", "subnet-87654321"]

  # DB parameter group
  family = "mysql5.7"

  # DB option group
  major_engine_version = "5.7"

  # Database Deletion Protection
  deletion_protection = true

  parameters = [
    {
      name = "character_set_client"
      value = "utf8mb4"
    },
    {
      name = "character_set_server"
      value = "utf8mb4"
    }
  ]

  options = [
    {
      option_name = "MARIADB_AUDIT_PLUGIN"

      option_settings = [
        {
          name  = "SERVER_AUDIT_EVENTS"
          value = "CONNECT"
        },
        {
          name  = "SERVER_AUDIT_FILE_ROTATIONS"
          value = "37"
        },
      ]
    },
  ]
}

module "db" {
  source  = "terraform-aws-modules/rds/aws"
  version = "~> 3.0"

  identifier = "demodb"

  engine            = "mysql"
  engine_version    = "5.7.19"
  instance_class    = "db.t2.large"
  allocated_storage = 5
  enabled_cloudwatch_logs_exports = []

  name     = "demodb"
  username = "user"
  password = "YourPwdShouldBeLongAndSecure!"
  port     = "3306"

  iam_database_authentication_enabled = true

  vpc_security_group_ids = ["sg-12345678"]

  maintenance_window = "Mon:00:00-Mon:03:00"
  backup_window      = "03:00-06:00"

  # Enhanced Monitoring - see example for details on how to create the role
  # by yourself, in case you don't want to create it automatically
  monitoring_interval = "30"
  monitoring_role_name = "MyRDSMonitoringRole"
  create_monitoring_role = true

  tags = {
    Owner       = "user"
    Environment = "dev"
  }

  # DB subnet group
  subnet_ids = ["subnet-12345678", "subnet-87654321"]

  # DB parameter group
  family = "mysql5.7"

  # DB option group
  major_engine_version = "5.7"

  # Database Deletion Protection
  deletion_protection = true

  parameters = [
    {
      name = "character_set_client"
      value = "utf8mb4"
    },
    {
      name = "character_set_server"
      value = "utf8mb4"
    }
  ]

  options = [
    {
      option_name = "MARIADB_AUDIT_PLUGIN"

      option_settings = [
        {
          name  = "SERVER_AUDIT_EVENTS"
          value = "CONNECT"
        },
        {
          name  = "SERVER_AUDIT_FILE_ROTATIONS"
          value = "37"
        },
      ]
    },
  ]
}