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Ensure buckets have versioning enabled

### Overview

Category

Controls

Medium

Applies to

Alibaba CloudAWSGoogle CloudMicrosoft Azure

Coverage

null controls, 1 queries

Asset types

2 covered

Overview

Overview

Cyscale looks for buckets that do not have versioning enabled. Versioning is a means of keeping multiple variants of an object. With versioning you can recover more easily from both unintended user actions and application failures.

Remediation guidance

Depending on the provider and service that you use, check out the following resources:

AWS

From the Console

Perform the following actions to enable versioning for a bucket:

  1. Open the security settings using the "Open in AWS" menu option
  2. Select the tab Properties
  3. Under Bucket versioning, select Edit
  4. Under Bucket versioning, select the Enable button
  5. Click Save changes

From the AWS CLI

aws s3api put-bucket-versioning --bucket <bucketName> --versioning-configuration Status=Enabled

Default Value

By default, buckets are not versioned.

References

  1. Enabling versioning on buckets

Azure

Google Cloud

Alibaba

Multiple Remediation Paths

AWS

SERVICE-WIDE (RECOMMENDED when many resources are affected): Deploy centralized guardrails and remediation using AWS Config Conformance Packs and (if applicable) AWS Organizations SCPs.

aws configservice put-organization-conformance-pack --organization-conformance-pack-name <pack-name> --template-s3-uri s3://<bucket>/<template>.yaml

ASSET-LEVEL: Apply the resource-specific remediation steps above to only the affected assets.

PREVENTIVE: Add CI/CD policy checks (CloudFormation/Terraform validation) before deployment to prevent recurrence.

Google Cloud

SERVICE-WIDE (RECOMMENDED when many resources are affected): Enforce Organization Policies at org/folder level so new resources inherit secure defaults.

gcloud org-policies set-policy policy.yaml

ASSET-LEVEL: Use the product-specific remediation steps above for only the impacted project/resources.

PREVENTIVE: Use org policy constraints/custom constraints and enforce checks in deployment pipelines.

Azure

SERVICE-WIDE (RECOMMENDED when many resources are affected): Assign Azure Policy initiatives at management group/subscription scope and trigger remediation tasks.

az policy assignment create --name <assignment-name> --scope /subscriptions/<subscription-id> --policy-set-definition <initiative-id>
az policy remediation create --name <remediation-name> --policy-assignment <assignment-id>

ASSET-LEVEL: Apply the resource-specific remediation steps above to the listed non-compliant resources.

PREVENTIVE: Embed Azure Policy checks into landing zones and IaC workflows to block or auto-remediate drift.

References for Service-Wide Patterns

  • AWS Config Conformance Packs: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/config/latest/developerguide/conformance-packs.html
  • AWS Organizations SCP examples: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/organizations/latest/userguide/orgs_manage_policies_scps_examples.html
  • GCP Organization Policy overview: https://cloud.google.com/resource-manager/docs/organization-policy/overview
  • GCP Organization policy constraints catalog: https://cloud.google.com/resource-manager/docs/organization-policy/org-policy-constraints
  • gcloud org-policies: https://cloud.google.com/sdk/gcloud/reference/org-policies
  • Azure Policy overview: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/governance/policy/overview
  • Azure Policy remediation: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/governance/policy/how-to/remediate-resources
  • Azure Policy initiative structure: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/governance/policy/concepts/initiative-definition-structure

Operational Rollout Workflow

Use this sequence to reduce risk and avoid repeated drift.

1. Contain at Service-Wide Scope First (Recommended)

  • AWS: deploy/adjust organization conformance packs and policy guardrails.
aws configservice put-organization-conformance-pack --organization-conformance-pack-name <pack-name> --template-s3-uri s3://<bucket>/<template>.yaml
  • Google Cloud: apply organization policy constraints at org/folder scope.
gcloud org-policies set-policy policy.yaml
  • Azure: assign policy initiatives at management group/subscription scope and run remediation tasks.
az policy assignment create --name <assignment-name> --scope /subscriptions/<subscription-id> --policy-set-definition <initiative-id>
az policy remediation create --name <remediation-name> --policy-assignment <assignment-id>

2. Remediate Existing Affected Assets

  • Execute the control-specific Console/CLI steps documented above for each flagged resource.
  • Prioritize internet-exposed and production assets first.

3. Validate and Prevent Recurrence

  • Re-scan after each remediation batch.
  • Track exceptions with owner and expiry date.
  • Add preventive checks in IaC/CI pipelines.

Query logic

These are the stored checks tied to this control.

Buckets without versioning enabled

Connectors

Alibaba CloudAWSGoogle CloudMicrosoft Azure

Covered asset types

BlobContainerBucket

Expected check: eq []

{ objectContainers (where: {versioningEnabled: false}) {...AssetFragment} } 
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