# Ensure Audit Logging of Unsuccessful File Access Attempts

- Source: https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/articles/62000234894-ensure-audit-logging-of-unsuccessful-file-access-attempts
- Section: [Solutions](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions) › [CIS Amazon Linux 2 Benchmark v3.0.0](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/62000112696) › [CIS Amazon Linux 2 Benchmarks](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/folders/62000169265)
- Last updated: 2026-05-29
- Publisher: iCompaas, Inc. (https://www.icompaas.com)

Profile Applicability: **• Level 2**

Description:  
 Unsuccessful file access attempts indicate possible unauthorized or malicious activity targeting protected files. Collecting audit logs of these attempts provides early warning signs and supports incident response.

Rationale:  
 Monitoring failed file access attempts helps detect potential intrusion attempts or misconfigurations, improving overall system security.

Impact:  
 Pros:

-   Provides visibility into unauthorized access attempts.  
    
-   Enables proactive security monitoring and incident investigation.  
    

Cons:

-   May increase audit log volume; requires effective log management.  
    

Default Value:  
 Audit rules for unsuccessful file access may not be enabled by default.

Pre-requisites:

-   Root or sudo privileges to configure audit rules.  
    

Remediation:

### Test Plan:

Using Linux command line:

Check current audit rules for failed file access attempts:

auditctl -l | grep access  

1.  Verify rules include monitoring for failed attempts.  
    

### Implementation Plan:

Using Linux command line:

Add audit rules to log failed file access attempts, for example:

auditctl -a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S open -F success=0 -k access  
auditctl -a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S open -F success=0 -k access

1.  Persist audit rules by adding them to /etc/audit/rules.d/audit.rules.  
    

### Backout Plan:

Using Linux command line:

Remove or disable related audit rules if needed:

auditctl -d always,exit -F arch=b64 -S open -F success=0 -k access  
auditctl -d always,exit -F arch=b32 -S open -F success=0 -k access

1.  Reload audit daemon configuration.  
    

References:

-   CIS Amazon Linux 2 Benchmark v3.0.0  
    
-   [Linux Audit Framework  
    ](https://linux-audit.com/)[NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 - AU-6  
    ](https://csrc.nist.gov/publications/detail/sp/800-53/rev-5/final#au-6)

## Related compliance guidance

- [SOC 2 compliance: a practical implementation guide for cloud-native SaaS teams](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/soc-2-trust-services-criteria): Configuration checks like this one are the technical half of a SOC 2 / ISO 27001 programme — the guide shows where they fit, what else an auditor expects, and how to evidence them.
- [ISO/IEC 27001:2022 compliance: a practical implementation guide](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/iso-27001-2022): ISO 27001 Annex A.8 (technological controls) is where cloud hardening evidence lands; the guide shows how to run the ISMS around it.