Sold by: Center for Internet Security
Deployed on AWS
AWS Free Tier
This product has charges associated with the pre-built hardening to the CIS Benchmarks™ and recurring maintenance. The CIS Hardened Images® are hardened in accordance with the associated CIS Benchmarks, an industry best practice for secure configuration. Reduce cost, time, and risk by building your AWS solution with CIS AMIs.
Overview
The CIS Hardened Image Level 1 on AlmaLinux OS 8 is a pre-configured image built by the Center for Internet Security (CIS®) for use on Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2). It is a pre-configured, security-hardened image that aligns with the robust security recommendations, the CIS Benchmarks, making it easier for organizations to meet regulatory requirements.
Not only is this image pre-hardened to the CIS Benchmarks guidance, but it is also patched monthly in alignment with the updates from the software vendor.
Key Benefits
This image is hardened against the corresponding Level 1 profile which is intended to be practical and prudent, provide a clear security benefit, and not inhibit the utility of the technology beyond acceptable means. No packages are installed on or removed from this image outside of those already present on the base image or as recommended in alignment with the corresponding CIS Benchmark recommendations.
To demonstrate conformance to the CIS AlmaLinux OS 8 Level 1 Benchmark, industry-recognized hardening guidance, each image includes an HTML report from CIS Configuration Assessment Tool (CIS-CAT® Pro). Each CIS Hardened Image contains the following files:
These reports are located in /home/CIS_Hardened_Reports.
For customized pricing options or private offers, reach out to us at cloudsecurity@cisecurity.org .
To learn more or access the corresponding CIS Benchmark, please visit https://www.cisecurity.org/cis-benchmarks or sign up for a free account on our community platform, CIS WorkBench, https://workbench.cisecurity.org/ .
Highlights
- Hardened according to a Level 1 CIS Benchmark that is developed in a consensus-based process and that is accepted by government, business, industry, and academia.
- Helps with compliance to PCI DSS, FedRAMP, DoD Cloud Computing SRG, FISMA, select NIST publications, and more.
- Pre-configured to align with industry best practices that are developed and supported by CIS, this image has hardened account and local policies, firewall configuration, and computer-based and user-based administrative templates.
Details
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Delivery method
Delivery option
64-bit (x86) Amazon Machine Image (AMI)
Latest version
Operating system
OtherLinux 8.9
Deployed on AWS
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AWS Marketplace now accepts line of credit payments through the PNC Vendor Finance program. This program is available to select AWS customers in the US, excluding NV, NC, ND, TN, & VT.
Pricing
Pricing is based on actual usage, with charges varying according to how much you consume. Subscriptions have no end date and may be canceled any time. Alternatively, you can pay upfront for a contract, which typically covers your anticipated usage for the contract duration. Any usage beyond contract will incur additional usage-based costs.
Additional AWS infrastructure costs may apply. Use the AWS Pricing Calculator to estimate your infrastructure costs.
If you are an AWS Free Tier customer with a free plan, you are eligible to subscribe to this offer. You can use free credits to cover the cost of eligible AWS infrastructure. See AWS Free Tier for more details. If you created an AWS account before July 15th, 2025, and qualify for the Legacy AWS Free Tier, Amazon EC2 charges for Micro instances are free for up to 750 hours per month. See Legacy AWS Free Tier for more details.
Dimension | Cost/hour |
|---|---|
t3.medium Recommended | $0.02 |
t2.micro | $0.02 |
t3.micro | $0.022 |
c7a.8xlarge | $0.05 |
r5d.metal | $0.06 |
g4dn.xlarge | $0.024 |
m5d.16xlarge | $0.06 |
r7iz.32xlarge | $0.06 |
c6i.32xlarge | $0.06 |
c7a.large | $0.022 |
Dimensions summary
You pay by the hour for this pre-hardened AlmaLinux OS 8 virtual machine image. Pricing is usage-based, so you are billed only for the hours each instance runs. The single per-hour software rate applies across a wide range of supported EC2 instance types, from small general-purpose sizes to large compute, memory, GPU, and bare-metal options. Your hourly cost varies by the instance type you choose, since each size carries its own rate. You add these charges on top of standard AWS infrastructure costs. There is no upfront commitment or fixed term.
Top-of-mind questions for buyers
You get one running EC2 instance of your chosen type, pre-configured to the CIS Benchmarks security recommendations for AlmaLinux OS 8. The image hardens the operating system before use. Each hour an instance runs is metered separately, and the software rate depends on the instance size you select.
The software rate meters running hours only. A fully stopped or powered-off instance does not accrue software charges. You may still pay standard AWS storage fees for the attached volume while the instance is stopped. Charges resume when you restart the instance.
Each supported EC2 instance type carries its own per-hour software rate. Larger compute, memory, GPU, or bare-metal sizes are priced higher than small general-purpose sizes. Your bill reflects the rate for whichever type you launch, multiplied by the hours it runs. The security configuration stays the same across all types.
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Vendor refund policy
Refunds through AWS are not available at this time. You will only be billed for actual time of instance use. As with all CIS security products, our aim is always 100 percent customer/member satisfaction.
Custom pricing options
Request a private offer to receive a custom quote.
Legal
Vendor terms and conditions
Upon subscribing to this product, you must acknowledge and agree to the terms and conditions outlined in the vendor's End User License Agreement (EULA) .
Content disclaimer
Vendors are responsible for their product descriptions and other product content. AWS does not warrant that vendors' product descriptions or other product content are accurate, complete, reliable, current, or error-free.
Delivery details
64-bit (x86) Amazon Machine Image (AMI)
Amazon Machine Image (AMI)
An AMI is a virtual image that provides the information required to launch an instance. Amazon EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) instances are virtual servers on which you can run your applications and workloads, offering varying combinations of CPU, memory, storage, and networking resources. You can launch as many instances from as many different AMIs as you need.
Version release notes
Monthly updates
Additional details
Usage instructions
No sensitive information supplied by customers will be stored outside this instance. No data encryption configuration is applicable to this instance. You can encrypt the instance EBS volume per standard EC2 processes. No programmatic system credentials and cryptographic keys are used by this instance. Launch the instance via the AWS Marketplace or EC2 console. Navigate to your Amazon EC2 console and verify that you're in the correct region. Choose instance and select your launched instance. Select the server to display your metadata page and choose the Status checks tab at the bottom of the page to review if your status checks passed or failed. Connect using SSH. Use ec2-user as the username. Immediately apply latest security updates to the instance.
Resources
Support
Vendor support
Questions, feedback, and support accessing CIS-developed AMIs is provided by contacting
AWS infrastructure support
AWS Support is a one-on-one, fast-response support channel that is staffed 24x7x365 with experienced and technical support engineers. The service helps customers of all sizes and technical abilities to successfully utilize the products and features provided by Amazon Web Services.
Updated weekly
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AI generated from product descriptions
Security Hardening Framework
Image hardened according to CIS Benchmark Level 1 profile developed through consensus-based process and accepted by government, business, industry, and academia.
Configuration Assessment and Reporting
Includes CIS-CAT Pro HTML reports documenting baseline configuration, hardening changes, package modifications, and exceptions applied to the instance.
Regulatory Compliance Support
Supports compliance requirements for PCI DSS, FedRAMP, DoD Cloud Computing SRG, FISMA, and select NIST publications.
Operating System and Patch Management
Built on AlmaLinux OS 8 with monthly patching aligned to software vendor updates to maintain security standards.
System Hardening Configuration
Pre-configured hardened account and local policies, firewall configuration, and computer-based and user-based administrative templates.
FIPS Certification
FIPS 140-2 certified kernel and cryptographic modules included out of the box with ongoing security updates
Extended Security Coverage
Security patches available for over 23,000 open source packages in the Ubuntu Universe repository with 10 years of support through Expanded Security Maintenance
Compliance Hardening Profiles
CIS and DISA-STIG hardening profiles accessible through Ubuntu Security Guide tooling for guided compliance configuration
Cryptographic Module Updates
FIPS-certified cryptographic components with continuous security updates maintained throughout the support lifecycle
Long-term Support
10-year security coverage period for the operating system and included packages
Operating System Hardening
Amazon Linux 2 configured with STIG Benchmark High standard for enhanced security posture
Security Standards Compliance
Implementation of Defense Information System Agency (DISA) Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) for system hardening
EMR Compatibility
Tested and compatible with Amazon Elastic MapReduce (EMR) for distributed computing workloads
Continuous Security Updates
Access to continuous security updates available through new versions of the image
Multi-Application Support
Suitable for deployment across various applications beyond EMR environments
Standard contract
No
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