Uncovering Sophisticated AWS Engineer Hacks: The Definitive Guide

Answer - A.

To determine whether a log file was modified, deleted, or unchanged after CloudTrail delivered it, you can use CloudTrail log file integrity validation.

This feature is built using industry standard algorithms: SHA-256 for hashing and SHA-256 with RSA for digital signing.

This makes it computationally infeasible to modify, delete or forge CloudTrail log files without detection.

You can use the AWS CLI to validate the files in the location where CloudTrail delivered them.

Validated log files are invaluable in security and forensic investigations.

For example, a validated log file enables you to assert positively that the log file itself has not changed, or that particular user credentials performed specific API activity.

The CloudTrail log file integrity validation process also lets you know if a log file has been deleted or changed, or assert positively that no log files were delivered to your account during a given period of time.

For more information on Cloudtrail log file validation, please visit the below URL:

http://docs.aws.amazon.com/awscloudtrail/latest/userguide/cloudtrail-log-file-validation-intro.html

In this scenario, the CTO suspects that the AWS account has been hacked and wants to know if there has been any unauthorized access. Additionally, the hackers are sophisticated and may be trying to cover their tracks, making it difficult to detect any unauthorized access.

The best way to know for certain if there has been any unauthorized access is to use CloudTrail Log File Integrity Validation. This feature allows you to ensure the integrity of your CloudTrail log files and verify that they have not been tampered with. It works by generating a hash value for each log file and comparing it to a stored hash value. If the values match, the log file is considered valid.

Using AWS Config SNS Subscriptions and processing events in real-time can help to detect any unauthorized changes to your AWS resources. AWS Config monitors and records changes to your AWS resources, and SNS (Simple Notification Service) can be used to send notifications when specific events occur. By processing these notifications in real-time, you can quickly identify any unauthorized changes.

Using CloudTrail backed up to AWS S3 and Glacier can help to detect any unauthorized access by providing a comprehensive record of API activity. However, it may not be sufficient to detect sophisticated hackers who are trying to cover their tracks.

Finally, AWS Config Timeline forensics can be used to investigate any unauthorized access that has been detected. This feature allows you to see the timeline of changes to your AWS resources and can help to identify the root cause of any security issues.

In conclusion, the best way to know for certain if there has been any unauthorized access is to use CloudTrail Log File Integrity Validation. However, it's important to use a combination of these tools to detect and investigate any security issues effectively.