AU-8—Time Stamps
>Control Description
Use internal system clocks to generate time stamps for audit records; and
Record time stamps for audit records that meet ⚙organization-defined granularity of time measurement and that use Coordinated Universal Time, have a fixed local time offset from Coordinated Universal Time, or that include the local time offset as part of the time stamp.
>DoD Impact Level Requirements
FedRAMP Parameter Values
AU-8 (b) [one second granularity of time measurement]
>Discussion
Time stamps generated by the system include date and time. Time is commonly expressed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), a modern continuation of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), or local time with an offset from UTC. Granularity of time measurements refers to the degree of synchronization between system clocks and reference clocks (e.g., clocks synchronizing within hundreds of milliseconds or tens of milliseconds).
Organizations may define different time granularities for different system components. Time service can be critical to other security capabilities such as access control and identification and authentication, depending on the nature of the mechanisms used to support those capabilities.
>Programmatic Queries
Related Services
CLI Commands
aws cloudtrail lookup-events --max-results 1 --query 'Events[0].EventTime'aws ssm send-command --instance-ids INSTANCE_ID --document-name 'AWS-RunShellScript' --parameters 'commands=["timedatectl status"]'aws logs filter-log-events --log-group-name LOG_GROUP --limit 1 --query 'events[0].timestamp'aws logs describe-log-groups --query 'logGroups[0].creationTime'>Related Controls
>Assessment Interview Topics
Questions assessors commonly ask
Process & Governance:
- •What formal policies and procedures govern the implementation of AU-8 (Time Stamps)?
- •Who are the designated roles responsible for implementing, maintaining, and monitoring AU-8?
- •How frequently is the AU-8 policy reviewed and updated, and what triggers policy changes?
- •What training or awareness programs ensure personnel understand their responsibilities related to AU-8?
Technical Implementation:
- •Describe the specific technical mechanisms or controls used to enforce AU-8 requirements.
- •What automated tools, systems, or technologies are deployed to implement AU-8?
- •How is AU-8 integrated into your system architecture and overall security posture?
- •What configuration settings, parameters, or technical specifications enforce AU-8 requirements?
Evidence & Documentation:
- •What documentation demonstrates the complete implementation of AU-8?
- •What audit logs, records, reports, or monitoring data validate AU-8 compliance?
- •Can you provide evidence of periodic reviews, assessments, or testing of AU-8 effectiveness?
- •What artifacts would you present during a FedRAMP assessment to demonstrate AU-8 compliance?
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