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Patch applications - AWS Prescriptive Guidance

Patch applications

Essential Eight control Implementation guidance AWS resources AWS Well-Architected guidance
An automated method of asset discovery is used at least fortnightly to support the detection of assets for subsequent vulnerability scanning activities.

Theme 1: Use managed services: Scan for vulnerabilities

Theme 2: Manage immutable infrastructure through secure pipelines: Implement vulnerability scanning

Theme 3: Manage mutable infrastructure with automation: Implement vulnerability scanning

Enable Amazon Inspector in all accounts in your organization

Configure enhanced scanning for Amazon ECR repositories by using Amazon Inspector

Build a vulnerability management program to triage and remediate security findings

SEC06-BP01 Perform vulnerability management

SEC06-BP05 Automate compute protection

Theme 7: Centralise logging and monitoring: Centralise logs

Receive CloudTrail logs from multiple accounts

Send logs to a log archive account

Centralise CloudWatch Logs in an account for auditing and analysis (AWS blog post)

Centralize management of Amazon Inspector

Create an organisation-wide aggregator in AWS Config (AWS blog post)

Centralise management of Security Hub CSPM

Centralise management of GuardDuty

Consider using Security Lake

SEC04-BP02 Capture logs, findings, and metrics in standardized locations
A vulnerability scanner with an up-to-date vulnerability database is used for vulnerability scanning activities.

Theme 1: Use managed services: Scan for vulnerabilities

Theme 2: Manage immutable infrastructure through secure pipelines: Implement vulnerability scanning

Theme 3: Manage mutable infrastructure with automation: Implement vulnerability scanning

Enable Amazon Inspector in all accounts in your organization

Configure enhanced scanning for Amazon ECR repositories by using Amazon Inspector

Build a vulnerability management program to triage and remediate security findings

SEC06-BP01 Perform vulnerability management

SEC06-BP05 Automate compute protection

A vulnerability scanner is used at least daily to identify missing patches or updates for security vulnerabilities in internet-facing services.
A vulnerability scanner is used at least weekly to identify missing patches or updates for security vulnerabilities in office productivity suites, web browsers and their extensions, email clients, PDF software, and security products. See Technical example: Patch applications (ACSC website) Not applicable Not applicable
A vulnerability scanner is used at least fortnightly to identify missing patches or updates for security vulnerabilities in other applications.

Theme 1: Use managed services: Scan for vulnerabilities

Theme 2: Manage immutable infrastructure through secure pipelines: Implement vulnerability scanning

Theme 3: Manage mutable infrastructure with automation: Implement vulnerability scanning

Enable Amazon Inspector in all accounts in your organization

Configure enhanced scanning for Amazon ECR repositories by using Amazon Inspector

Build a vulnerability management program to triage and remediate security findings

SEC06-BP01 Perform vulnerability management

SEC06-BP05 Automate compute protection

Patches, updates or vendor mitigations for security vulnerabilities in internet-facing services are applied within two weeks of release, or within 48 hours if an exploit exists.

Theme 1: Use managed services: Scan for vulnerabilities

Theme 2: Manage immutable infrastructure through secure pipelines: Implement vulnerability scanning

Theme 3: Manage mutable infrastructure with automation: Implement vulnerability scanning

Enable Amazon Inspector in all accounts in your organization

Configure enhanced scanning for Amazon ECR repositories by using Amazon Inspector

Build a vulnerability management program to triage and remediate security findings

SEC06-BP01 Perform vulnerability management
Theme 3: Manage mutable infrastructure with automation: Automate patching Enable Patch Manager in all accounts in your AWS organization

SEC06-BP01 Perform vulnerability management

SEC06-BP05 Automate compute protection

Patches, updates or vendor mitigations for security vulnerabilities in office productivity suites, web browsers and their extensions, email clients, PDF software, and security products are applied within two weeks of release, or within 48 hours if an exploit exists. See Technical example: Patch applications (ACSC website) Not applicable Not applicable
Patches, updates or vendor mitigations for security vulnerabilities in other applications are applied within one month of release.

Theme 1: Use managed services: Scan for vulnerabilities

Theme 2: Manage immutable infrastructure through secure pipelines: Implement vulnerability scanning

Theme 3: Manage mutable infrastructure with automation: Implement vulnerability scanning

Enable Amazon Inspector in all accounts in your organization

Configure enhanced scanning for Amazon ECR repositories by using Amazon Inspector

Build a vulnerability management program to triage and remediate security findings

SEC06-BP01 Perform vulnerability management
Theme 3: Manage mutable infrastructure with automation: Automate patching Enable Patch Manager in all accounts in your AWS organization

SEC06-BP01 Perform vulnerability management

SEC06-BP05 Automate compute protection

Applications that are no longer supported by vendors are removed. Theme 8: Implement mechanisms for manual processes: Implement mechanisms to review and address compliance gaps Consider using AWS Systems Manager Inventory to gain visibility into which instances are running software required by your software policy SEC06-BP02 Provision compute from hardened images