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Audit Log

What is Audit Log?

A chronological record of system activities that provides documentary evidence of the sequence of activities affecting a specific operation, procedure, or event. Audit logs are essential for security monitoring, incident investigation, and compliance.

Audit

Each of these is named in at least one of the same controls as audit log. The number is how many controls name both.

What the standards actually require on audit log

Requirements naming audit log across 6 standards, quoted from the control text.

CIS Controls v810 controls

Collect DNS query audit logs on enterprise assets, where appropriate and supported.

CIS-8.6 · Collect DNS Query Audit Logs
PCI DSS 4.09 controls

Audit logs for the anti-malware solution are enabled and retained in accordance with Requirement 10.5.1.

5.3.4 · Audit logs for anti-malware enabled

Limit audit log access to authorised staff and record who accessed what, so every access is attributable to an individual.

CCM-LOG-04 · Audit Logs Access and Accountability
FedRAMP High3 controls

Allocate audit log storage capacity to accommodate FedRAMP-defined retention period.

AU-4 · Audit Log Storage Capacity

Audit log protection and retention. Implements CyFun PR.PT-1: audit and log records are protected from unauthorised access, modification and deletion, and retained per policy.

BE-CF-31 · Audit log protection and retention

Allocate audit log storage capacity to accommodate FedRAMP-defined retention period.

AU-4 · Audit Log Storage Capacity

Questions people ask about audit log

What is Audit Log?
A chronological record of system activities that provides documentary evidence of the sequence of activities affecting a specific operation, procedure, or event. Audit logs are essential for security monitoring, incident investigation, and compliance.
Why is Audit Log important for compliance?
Audit Log is a key concept in Audit. Understanding audit log helps organizations meet regulatory requirements, reduce risk, and demonstrate due diligence during audits. Our compliance platform maps 686 frameworks with 311K cross-framework control mappings.
Which compliance frameworks address Audit Log?
Audit Log appears in the requirement text of CIS Controls v8, PCI DSS 4.0, Cloud Security Alliance Cloud Controls Matrix (CCM) v4.0.1, FedRAMP High, Belgium CyberFundamentals. Across these standards we have identified 29 controls that name it directly, each linked to the control text on the compliance platform.
Where can I learn more about Audit Log?
Explore our compliance framework pages to see how audit log applies across different standards and regulations. Our implementation guides provide step-by-step guidance, and the compliance platform offers AI-powered analysis of how this concept maps across 686 frameworks.

See how Audit Log applies across compliance frameworks

Our platform maps 686 frameworks with 311K cross-framework control mappings. Explore how this concept is addressed across standards.

Written and maintained by Gerard Blokdyk, The Art of Service.