# Cis AWS Compute 3.9

> Ensure monitoring is enabled for Amazon ECS clusters

- Skill: `cyberstrikeus/cis-aws-compute-3-9` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add cyberstrikeus/cis-aws-compute-3-9`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/cyberstrikeus/cis-aws-compute-3-9/raw
- Safety review: PASS (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- 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-3-9

---


# Ensure monitoring is enabled for Amazon ECS clusters

## Description

Enable AWS CloudWatch Container Insights for Amazon ECS clusters to monitor resource usage, performance, and application health through metrics and logs.

## Rationale

Monitoring ECS clusters with Container Insights improves visibility, supports faster issue detection, and enhances security by identifying anomalies and resource bottlenecks.

## Impact

Enabling AWS CloudWatch Container Insights for ECS clusters incurs costs for metrics, log ingestion, storage, and alarms.

## Audit Procedure

### Using AWS Console

1. Login to the ECS console using https://console.aws.amazon.com/ecs/.
2. In the left panel, click `Clusters`.
3. For each cluster listed in the `CloudWatch monitoring` column, ensure that `Container Insights` is displayed.

### Using AWS CLI

Run the following command to list clusters:

```
aws ecs list-clusters
```

Run the following command to view the settings for a cluster:

```
aws ecs describe-clusters --clusters <cluster-arn> --include SETTINGS --query 'clusters[*].settings'
```

Ensure `containerInsights` is set to `enabled` or `enhanced`.

## Expected Result

`containerInsights` should be set to `enabled` or `enhanced` for all ECS clusters.

## Remediation

### Using AWS Console

1. Login to the ECS console using https://console.aws.amazon.com/ecs/.
2. In the left panel, click `Clusters`.
3. Click the name of a cluster.
4. Click `Update cluster`.
5. Under `Monitoring`, select the radio button next to `Container Insights` or `Container Insights with enhanced observability`.
6. Click `Update`.
7. Repeat steps 1-6 for each ECS cluster requiring remediation.

### Using AWS CLI

For each cluster requiring remediation, run the following command to enable `containerInsights`:

```
aws ecs update-cluster-settings --cluster <cluster-arn> --settings name=containerInsights,value=enabled
```

## Default Value

Monitoring is disabled by default for Amazon ECS clusters.

## References

1. https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonCloudWatch/latest/monitoring/ContainerInsights.html
2. https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonCloudWatch/latest/monitoring/container-insights-detailed-ecs-metrics.html

## CIS Controls

| Controls Version | Control                         | IG 1 | IG 2 | IG 3 |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------- | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| v8               | 8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs |      | x    | x    |
| v7               | 6.3 Enable Detailed Logging     |      | x    | x    |

## Profile

Level 2 | Automated