If classification levels/security levels labeling is not required, this is not a finding. Review the system documentation to determine if MySQL Server is required to audit records when deletion of categories of information (e.g., classification levels/security levels) occurs. Check if MySQL audit is configured and enabled. The my.cnf file will set the variable audit_file. To further check, execute the following query: SELECT PLUGIN_NAME, PLUGIN_STATUS FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.PLUGINS WHERE PLUGIN_NAME LIKE 'audit%'; The status of the audit_log plugin must be "active". If it is not "active", this is a finding. Review audit filters and associated users by running the following queries: SELECT `audit_log_filter`.`NAME`, `audit_log_filter`.`FILTER` FROM `mysql`.`audit_log_filter`; SELECT `audit_log_user`.`USER`, `audit_log_user`.`HOST`, `audit_log_user`.`FILTERNAME` FROM `mysql`.`audit_log_user`; All currently defined audits for the MySQL server instance will be listed. If no audits are returned, this is a finding. Create MySQL insert, update, and delete triggers that check for changes to categories of information. If the trigger before data indicates an attempt to delete such information, the trigger must be written to prevent the delete as well as optionally write to the MySQL Audit by calling the audit_api_message_emit_udf() function and including the details related to the attempt. Note: To call from a trigger requires a minimal stored procedure as well. Once the trigger has been created, check if the audit filters in place are generating records when categories of information are deleted. - An Example test - CREATE TABLE `test_trigger`.`info_cat_test` ( `id` INT NOT NULL, `name` VARCHAR(20) NULL, `desc` VARCHAR(20) NULL, `sec_level` CHAR(1) NULL, PRIMARY KEY (`id`)); use test_trigger; DELIMITER $$ CREATE TRIGGER test_trigger.audit_delete BEFORE DELETE ON `test_trigger`.`info_cat_test` FOR EACH ROW BEGIN IF OLD.sec_level = 'H' THEN CALL audit_api_message_emit_sp(OLD.name); END IF; END$$ DELIMITER ; DELIMITER $$ CREATE TRIGGER audit_insert BEFORE INSERT ON `test_trigger`.`info_cat_test` FOR EACH ROW BEGIN IF NEW.sec_level = 'H' THEN CALL audit_api_message_emit_sp(NEW.name); END IF; END$$ DELIMITER ; DELIMITER $$ CREATE TRIGGER audit_update BEFORE UPDATE ON `test_trigger`.`info_cat_test` FOR EACH ROW BEGIN IF OLD.sec_level = 'H' THEN CALL audit_api_message_emit_sp(OLD.name); END IF; IF NEW.sec_level = 'H' THEN CALL audit_api_message_emit_sp(NEW.name); END IF; END$$ DELIMITER ; INSERT INTO `test_trigger`.`info_cat_test` (`id`, `name`, `desc`, `sec_level`) VALUES ('1', 'fred', 'engineer', 'H'); INSERT INTO `test_trigger`.`info_cat_test` (`id`, `name`, `desc`, `sec_level`) VALUES ('2', 'jill', 'program manager', 'M'); INSERT INTO `test_trigger`.`info_cat_test` (`id`, `name`, `desc`, `sec_level`) VALUES ('3', 'joe', 'maintenance', 'L'); delete from `test_trigger`.`info_cat_test` where id=1; // this fails as the trigger defines that sec_level of H can not be deleted. update`test_trigger`.`info_cat_test` set sec_level=‘H’ where id=2; delete from `test_trigger`.`info_cat_test` where id=3; Review the audit log by running the Linux command: sudo cat <directory where audit log files are located>/audit.log | egrep audit_change_attempt If the audit event is not present, this is a finding.