NIST Cybersecurity Framework PR.PT-1: Audit Log Management
Audit log management is foundational to demonstrating that your organization detects, responds to, and investigates security events. PR.PT-1 requires you to determine, document, implement, and review audit/log records according to a defined policy—creating an auditable trail of system and user activity.
What this means
This control mandates that your organization establish a formal audit logging policy covering what gets logged, how logs are retained, and how frequently they're reviewed. You must document logging requirements across systems, implement those requirements consistently, and periodically review logs to ensure they capture relevant security events and compliance activities.
How to comply
- 1.Develop and document an audit logging policy specifying what events, data, and systems require logging
- 2.Define log retention periods based on regulatory, legal, and business requirements
- 3.Configure audit logging on all relevant systems, applications, and network devices
- 4.Establish automated log collection and centralized storage to prevent tampering
- 5.Schedule and execute regular log reviews to identify anomalies, unauthorized access, or policy violations
- 6.Maintain evidence of log reviews and any remediation actions taken
Evidence auditors look for
- Audit logging policy document with approval dates
- System configuration screenshots showing audit logging enabled
- Log retention schedule tied to compliance obligations
- Centralized log management tool dashboard showing ingestion and storage
- Monthly or quarterly log review reports with sign-off
- Incident response records demonstrating use of logs in investigations
Frequently asked questions
When will FAQs be available?
The FAQ for this control is currently being prepared.
GRCWatch automates audit log policy templates, centralizes log collection from your systems, and flags anomalies automatically—so your team spends hours on compliance, not log hunting.
See how GRCWatch handles this control automatically
Start free trial