What this control covers
Ensures audit records include event type, time, location, source, outcome, and associated identities to support auditing and mitigate privacy risks. This control supports the Audit Record Database capability within the Audit and Accountability family.
Why it matters
Risk is the language an executive team understands; this control connects technical reality to board-level decisions and budget allocation.
How to implement
AWS
Codify the policy intent as SCPs, AWS Config conformance packs, and Security Hub standards so the cloud enforces what the document says.
Azure
Codify in Azure Policy initiatives (built-in regulatory compliance for CIS, ISO 27001, SOC 2, HIPAA) and assign at management-group level.
GCP
Use Cloud KMS with customer-managed encryption keys (CMEK) for BigQuery, GCS, and Compute. Sensitive Data Protection (DLP API) inspects/de-identifies PII at scale.
Google Workspace
Enable client-side encryption for Drive/Docs and turn on Drive Labels + DLP rules to prevent external sharing of regulated data classes.
GitHub
Stream the Enterprise audit log to your SIEM and enable Audit Log API alerting on key events: owner changes, IP allowlist edits, secret deletions, repo visibility flips.
On-premises
Maintain a policy library with a documented review cadence (annual minimum); store in your GRC tool with attestation tracking. Map each policy to controls so an audit pull cites the exact policy clause.
Evidence to collect
policy_document— A signed, version-controlled policy stating leadership intent and the named owner.infra_scan— See the iCompaas Evidence library for the canonical source for this evidence type.
Signed policy or standard documents the safeguard. Focus: Content Of Audit Records.
Quick checklist
- Policy — Management / Privacy
- Audit — Management / Privacy
- Data — Management / Privacy
- Protection — Management / Privacy
- Event — Management / Privacy
- Content — Management / Privacy
Related articles on this site
- NIST 800-171 3.3.7 Provide a system capability that compares and synchronizes internal system clocks with an authoritative source to generate time stamps for audit records
- CMMC 2.0 AU.2.043 Provide a system capability that compares and synchronizes internal system clocks with an authoritative source to generate time stamps for audit records.
- NIST 800-171 3.3.1 Create and retain system audit logs and records to the extent needed to enable the monitoring, analysis, investigation, and reporting of unlawful or unauthorized system activity
- NIST 800-171 3.3.4 Alert in the event of an audit logging process failure.