AU 8 Time Stamps

---
name: "AU-8_time-stamps"
description: "Use internal system clocks to generate time stamps for audit records;"
category: "information-gathering"
version: "5.2.0"
author: "cyberstrike-official"
tags:
  - nist
  - sp800-53
  - rev5
  - au-8
  - au
tech_stack:
  - aws
  - azure
  - gcp
  - linux
  - windows
cwe_ids:
  - CWE-778
chains_with:
  - AU-3
  - AU-12
  - AU-14
  - SC-45
prerequisites: []
severity_boost:
  AU-3: "Chain with AU-3 for comprehensive security coverage"
  AU-12: "Chain with AU-12 for comprehensive security coverage"
  AU-14: "Chain with AU-14 for comprehensive security coverage"
---

# AU-8 Time Stamps

## High-Level Description

**Family:** Audit and Accountability (AU)
**Framework:** NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5

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.

## What to Check

- [ ] Verify AU-8 Time Stamps is documented in SSP
- [ ] Validate all 2 control requirements are implemented
- [ ] Confirm control is operating effectively
- [ ] Review evidence of continuous monitoring for AU-8

## How to Test

### Step 1: Review Documentation

Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for AU-8 implementation details. Verify the organization has documented how this control is satisfied.

### Step 2: Validate Implementation

```
# For cloud environments, use cloud-audit-mcp tools
# For on-premises, review system configurations directly

# Example: Check if account management policies exist
grep -r "account.management\|access.control" /etc/security/ 2>/dev/null
```

### Step 3: Test Operating Effectiveness

Verify the control is actively functioning, not just documented. Check logs, configurations, and operational evidence.

## Tools

| Tool            | Purpose                      | Usage                            |
| --------------- | ---------------------------- | -------------------------------- |
| cloud-audit-mcp | Check logging configuration  | `cloud_audit_logging`            |
| AWS CLI         | Review CloudTrail/CloudWatch | `aws cloudtrail describe-trails` |

## Remediation Guide

### Control Statement

Use internal system clocks to generate time stamps for audit records; and
Record time stamps for audit records that meet [organization-defined] 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.

### Implementation Guidance

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.

## Risk Assessment

| Finding                          | Severity | Impact                              |
| -------------------------------- | -------- | ----------------------------------- |
| AU-8 Time Stamps not implemented | Medium   | Audit and Accountability            |
| AU-8 partially implemented       | Low      | Incomplete Audit and Accountability |

## CWE Categories

| CWE ID  | Title                |
| ------- | -------------------- |
| CWE-778 | Insufficient Logging |

## References

- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 - AU-8](https://csrc.nist.gov/projects/cprt/catalog#/cprt/framework/version/SP_800_53_5_1_1/home?element=au-8)
- [NIST SP 800-53A Rev 5 (Assessment Procedures)](https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/53/a/r5/final)
- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 Full Catalog](https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/53/r5/upd1/final)

## Checklist

- [ ] Control documented in SSP
- [ ] Implementation evidence collected
- [ ] Operating effectiveness validated
- [ ] Continuous monitoring in place
- [ ] Related controls (AU-3, AU-12, AU-14, SC-45) reviewed