# Cis AWS Compute 3.5

> Ensure 'readonlyRootFilesystem' is set to 'true' for Amazon ECS task definitions

- Skill: `cyberstrikeus/cis-aws-compute-3-5` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add cyberstrikeus/cis-aws-compute-3-5`
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- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: DevOps & Infra
- Author: cyberstrikeus (https://skillmd.com/u/cyberstrikeus)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/cyberstrikeus/cis-aws-compute-3-5

---


# Ensure 'readonlyRootFilesystem' is set to 'true' for Amazon ECS task definitions

## Description

Ensure the `readonlyRootFilesystem` parameter is enabled in Amazon ECS task definitions to restrict write access to the filesystem.

Note: This recommendation assumes that only the latest active revision of a task definition is in use. If older revisions are in use, apply the audit and remediation procedures to those revisions as needed.

## Rationale

Enabling `readonlyRootFilesystem` minimizes security risks by ensuring the container's filesystem cannot be altered unless specific read-write permissions are granted.

## Impact

There may be some administrative effort required to ensure Amazon ECS applications function as expected with a read-only root filesystem. Applications that need to write to the filesystem will require volume mounts or tmpfs mounts.

## Audit Procedure

### Using AWS Console

1. Login to the ECS console using https://console.aws.amazon.com/ecs/.
2. In the left panel, click `Task definitions`.
3. Click the name of a task definition.
4. Click on the latest active revision of the task definition.
5. Click `JSON`.
6. For each element under `containerDefinitions`, ensure `readonlyRootFilesystem` is set to `true`.
7. Repeat steps 1-6 for each task definition.

### Using AWS CLI

Run the following command to list task definitions:

```
aws ecs list-task-definitions
```

For the latest revision of a task definition, run the following command:

```
aws ecs describe-task-definition --task-definition <task-definition-arn> --query 'taskDefinition.containerDefinitions[*].readonlyRootFilesystem'
```

Ensure that the command returns only `true`.
Repeat for each task definition.

## Expected Result

The `readonlyRootFilesystem` parameter should be set to `true` for all containers in all task definitions.

## Remediation

### Using AWS Console

1. Login to the ECS console using https://console.aws.amazon.com/ecs/.
2. In the left panel, click `Task definitions`.
3. Click the name of a task definition.
4. Click on the latest active revision of the task definition.
5. Click `Create new revision`.
6. Click `Create new revision with JSON`.
7. For each element under `containerDefinitions`, set `readonlyRootFilesystem` to `true`.
8. Click Create.
9. Repeat steps 1-8 for each task definition requiring remediation.

Note: When a task definition is updated, running tasks launched from the previous task definition remain unchanged. Updating a running task requires redeploying it with the new task definition.

### Using AWS CLI

No specific CLI remediation provided. Register a new task definition revision with corrected `readonlyRootFilesystem` setting using `aws ecs register-task-definition`.

## Default Value

By default, `readonlyRootFilesystem` is set to `false`.

## References

1. https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonECS/latest/developerguide/task_definition_parameters.html
2. https://awscli.amazonaws.com/v2/documentation/api/latest/reference/ecs/list-task-definitions.html
3. https://awscli.amazonaws.com/v2/documentation/api/latest/reference/ecs/describe-task-definition.html

## CIS Controls

| Controls Version | Control                                                   | IG 1 | IG 2 | IG 3 |
| ---------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| v8               | 4.1 Establish and Maintain a Secure Configuration Process | x    | x    | x    |
| v7               | 5.1 Establish Secure Configurations                       | x    | x    | x    |

## Profile

Level 1 | Automated