Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsiTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
AWS Config and AWS CloudTrail solve different audit problems, so one does not replace the other. Config records the configuration state of supported AWS resources over time and evaluates that state against rules. CloudTrail records account activity—who performed an operation, when, and through which AWS interface or service. Use Config to answer “What is configured, and how did it change?” Use CloudTrail to answer “Who did what, and when?” Investigations that need both the changed setting and the person or process that changed it normally use the two services together.
What is the difference between AWS Config and CloudTrail?
AWS Config is a resource-state and compliance service. It creates point-in-time configuration items for resource types you have enabled for recording, keeps configuration history, and evaluates resources with Config Rules. CloudTrail is an activity log. It records events generated by the AWS Management Console, command-line tools, SDKs, APIs, and AWS services.
The distinction matters during an incident. Config can show that a security-group rule, encryption setting, or other supported attribute changed and what the resource looked like before and after the change. CloudTrail can show the API or console operation, the actor identity recorded for that event, the time, and the request details. Config may not identify the human or role that made a change, while CloudTrail is not a complete inventory of the resource’s current state.
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstall| Reader need | Best starting point | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Current or historical resource settings and relationships | AWS Config | Configuration items provide point-in-time attributes and a resource history. |
| Whether resources meet rules or a conformance baseline | AWS Config | Config Rules evaluate recorded resources and expose compliance status. |
| Who made an API or console change and when | AWS CloudTrail | Events contain account-activity details for the operation. |
| Recent management activity without setting up a trail | CloudTrail Event history | The default view is free to view and covers the previous 90 days of management events in one Region. |
| Continuous, longer-term, multi-account, or specialized event collection | CloudTrail trail or Lake event data store | You select event types, scope, retention, and the applicable billing configuration. |
| Combined event and configuration analysis | Both, optionally CloudTrail Lake | CloudTrail records calls to Config, and Lake can query Config configuration items with other event sources. |
What does AWS Config record?
Config records a point-in-time view of a supported resource as a configuration item. The item contains resource attributes and relationships available to Config at that moment. A resource timeline is a collection of those items, allowing you to inspect how the state changed rather than merely seeing the latest value.
#1 Best Overall
- Read Before You Buy — No Video Output: These adapters support charging and USB 2.0 data transfer, but cannot transmit video signals. Except for standard USB webcams (which use USB data only), they are not compatible with HDMI/DisplayPort cables, video-capable USB-C hubs, or docking stations with video output.
- Convert USB-A Ports to USB-C: Designed to connect USB-C earphones, cables, flash drives, card readers, and other USB-C accessories to standard USB-A ports. Plug-and-play with no drivers or software required.
- Aluminum Alloy Housing: Built with a sturdy aluminum alloy shell that aids in heat dissipation and protects against daily wear and scratches. Designed to maintain a stable and secure connection.
- Compact & Travel-Friendly: The ultra-compact design allows the adapter to stay plugged into your device without blocking adjacent ports or adding bulk, reducing wear and tear on your original USB ports.
- 12-Month Warranty: Backed by a 12-month manufacturer warranty for peace of mind. Designed to meet strict quality control standards for reliable everyday performance.
How configuration history is stored and viewed
After you enable recording for the resource types you need, Config can expose history through the console’s resource timeline and APIs. It can also deliver configuration-history files to an S3 bucket you specify. Recording is therefore a prerequisite: a resource type that is not being recorded will not acquire the corresponding Config history.
What Config does not tell you by itself
A configuration item describes state, not the complete human context of an action. It may show that a setting changed between two points in time, but it is not designed as a user-action audit log. To attribute the operation to an IAM principal, role, console session, or service, correlate the time and resource with CloudTrail events.
What does AWS CloudTrail record?
CloudTrail records account activity as events. Activity can originate in the AWS Console, the CLI, SDKs, direct AWS APIs, or an AWS service acting on your behalf. An event can include the operation, time, identity information, request parameters, response details, Region, and other context appropriate to that event type.
Management, data, Insights, and network activity events
CloudTrail separates event categories. The default Event history view covers management events only. Data events, CloudTrail Insights events, and network activity events are not included in that default 90-day view; collecting them requires configuring a trail or an event data store for the event types and resources involved.
Why event order should not be treated as a stack trace
CloudTrail log entries are not ordered. When reconstructing an incident, use timestamps, request identifiers, resource identifiers, and related events rather than assuming the display order is a strict sequence of execution.
Does AWS Config show who changed a resource?
Not reliably by itself. Config can show the resource’s state before and after a recorded change, but CloudTrail is the service that records the account activity associated with API and console operations. To identify the actor, search CloudTrail for the relevant operation and time window, then compare the event’s resource and request details with the Config timeline.
Rank #2
- 5-in-1 USB-C Hub: Experience comprehensive connectivity featuring a Power Delivery input, two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-A 3.0 port, and an HDMI port. (Note: The USB-C power delivery input port is only for connecting an external wall charger to power your laptop and cannot power peripheral devices.)
- 90W Pass-Through Charging: Achieve optimal charging with 90W pass-through power to your laptop, supported by a total input of 100W, with the hub reserving 10W for operational efficiency. (Note: Wall charger not included.)
- Quick Data Transfers: Accelerate your productivity with rapid data transfers using a high-speed 5Gbps USB 3.0 port and two 480Mbps USB 2.0 ports.
- 4K HDMI Display: Enhance your visual experience with a hub capable of delivering 4K resolution at 30Hz in both mirror and extend modes. Please note that this hub is compatible with MacBook (macOS 12 and newer), Windows 10 and 11, ChromeOS, and laptops equipped with DP Alt Mode and Power Delivery. Note: This device is not compatible with Linux.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (5-in-1, 4K HDMI), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
A practical correlation workflow
- Open the affected resource in AWS Config and inspect its resource timeline for the first configuration item showing the unwanted state.
- Record the approximate change time, resource identifier, Region, and the attributes that changed.
- In CloudTrail Event history, search the same account and Region for the time range and likely API operation. Match the resource identifier or request parameters.
- Inspect the CloudTrail identity fields to determine whether the call came from a user, assumed role, federated session, service-linked role, or another AWS service.
- For changes older than the Event history window or for event types excluded from it, query the trail’s S3 logs or a CloudTrail Lake event data store.
This correlation is stronger than treating either timeline as complete. Config supplies the state transition; CloudTrail supplies the activity context.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →How does AWS Config support compliance?
Config Rules evaluate recorded resources against conditions you define or select. The result is a current compliance state that can be inspected for a resource or rule. This makes Config useful for continuously checking configuration requirements rather than waiting for a periodic audit.
Current compliance versus compliance history
Viewing current compliance and running rule evaluations does not require recording the special AWS::Config::ResourceCompliance resource type. Recording that type is what enables historical compliance changes to appear over time in a resource timeline. AWS describes this distinction explicitly: “Recording AWS::Config::ResourceCompliance only enables you to view historical compliance changes over time in the resource timeline.”
What CloudTrail contributes to a compliance program
CloudTrail supplies evidence of administrative activity: who changed a control, when it happened, and which API operation was used. It does not evaluate whether the resulting resource state meets a policy. A defensible compliance record often combines Config’s rule result and historical state with CloudTrail’s actor and activity evidence.
How long does CloudTrail Event history keep records?
The default CloudTrail Event history provides a viewable, searchable, downloadable, and immutable record of the previous 90 days of management events in one AWS Region. It is available without first creating a trail and viewing it carries no charge.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Important limits of Event history
- The 90-day window applies to Event history, not to every CloudTrail storage option.
- The view is limited to one account and one Region at a time.
- A search uses one attribute filter together with a time range.
- Data events, Insights events, and network activity events are outside the default Event history scope.
- Configuring a trail or event data store does not extend the Event history view itself; those are separate collection mechanisms.
For investigations requiring older records, multiple accounts, broader event categories, or more flexible queries, use the S3 logs from a trail or a CloudTrail Lake event data store configured for the required retention and event types.
Rank #3
- Sleek 7-in-1 USB-C Hub: Features an HDMI port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and a USB-C data port, each providing 5Gbps transfer speeds. It also includes a USB-C PD input port for charging up to 100W and dual SD and TF card slots, all in a compact design.
- Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
- Double Up on Efficiency: The two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C port support a fast 5Gbps data rate, significantly boosting your transfer speeds and improving productivity.
- Fast and Reliable 85W Charging: Offers high-capacity, speedy charging for laptops up to 85W, so you spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time being productive.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
How do I enable and use AWS Config?
Start by deciding which resource types and Regions matter to your audit. Config only creates configuration items for resource types that are enabled for recording, so broad requirements and cost considerations should be settled before turning on every available type.
- Open the AWS Config console for the target account and Region and enable the configuration recorder for the resource types you need.
- Specify the S3 bucket and delivery settings for configuration history when you need durable files outside the console.
- Allow recording to run long enough to establish an initial state and subsequent changes.
- Open a resource’s timeline to inspect configuration items, relationships, and recorded changes.
- Create or enable Config Rules for the controls you need to evaluate, then review each resource’s compliance state.
- If historical compliance transitions are required, enable recording for
AWS::Config::ResourceComplianceas well.
Config can also emit configuration-item and compliance-change events directly to Amazon EventBridge. AWS describes this delivery as best effort, so do not treat that route as a guaranteed substitute for retained configuration history.
How do I use CloudTrail for an investigation?
Use Event history for a quick look at recent management activity, then move to a trail or Lake event data store when the required time span, event category, account scope, or query flexibility exceeds Event history.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
- Open CloudTrail Event history in the account and Region where the activity occurred.
- Set a time range around the suspected change and apply the most useful single attribute filter, such as event name, resource name, or user identity.
- Open matching events and inspect the operation, identity, request parameters, Region, and related identifiers.
- Compare the event time and resource details with the AWS Config timeline to verify which state transition it explains.
- For long-term or specialized evidence, configure a trail to deliver continuously to S3 or query a CloudTrail Lake event data store with the needed event types and retention.
CloudTrail also records calls made to AWS Config, including console and API operations. Those events help explain who changed Config settings or requested Config data, but they do not replace the configuration items themselves.
Which service is better for common use cases?
Finding an unexpected security-group or IAM setting
Begin with Config to identify the exact state change and its timing. Use CloudTrail to attribute the API call or console action and to determine whether a person, role, or AWS service initiated it.
Checking whether resources follow a baseline
Use Config Rules and compliance views. CloudTrail can document remediation or administrative activity, but it is not the policy-evaluation engine.
Rank #4
- Dual Converters, Infinite Potential：Includes 2× USB C male to USB A female adapters and 2× USB A male to USB C female adapters. Perfect for a wide range of uses—tablets with Bluetooth keyboards, expand USB ports on macbook, and more. Two different converters for all your daily needs
- Next-Level 10Gbps & 3A Charging: No more slow 480Mbps, this usb to usb c adapter has a transfer speed of up to 10Gbps, allowing you to do more transferring in less time. This usb adapter fits both USB A and USB C charger, supporting up to 3A fast charging
- Upgraded Exquisite Craftsmanship: With an aluminum alloy housing and metal connector, the usbc to usb adapter is extremely durable and sturdy. Rigorously tested to withstand more than 10,000 times of plugging and unplugging, ensuring long-lasting performance
- Broad Compatible: The usb c to usb adapter widely supports all USB C/ USB A devices like laptops, tablets, cellphones, car chargers, and phone chargers. Such as compatible with MacBook Pro/Air 2023/2022, Thunderbolt 4/3 Devices,Apple MagSafe Watch 9/8/7/SE/Ultra, iPad Pro 2022/2021, Samsung Galaxy S23/S20/S10, and iPhone 17/16/15 Pro. Plug and play
- Please Note: To reach 10Gbps speed, keep the cable under 3.3 ft. For USB A Male to USB C adapters, try flipping the USB C connector. USB C Male to USB A adapters support bidirectional 10Gbps transfer within 3.3 ft
Investigating a suspected account compromise
Start with CloudTrail because identity and activity are central: look for unusual sign-ins, API calls, Regions, and resource operations. Then use Config to determine which resources actually changed and whether the resulting state remains unsafe.
Building an audit archive
Use a CloudTrail trail or Lake event data store for the event categories, accounts, Regions, and retention period required by the audit. Add Config recording and S3 delivery when auditors also need point-in-time resource state and compliance history.
Responding to a recent change without prior setup
CloudTrail Event history is the fastest starting point because it is available by default for recent management events and free to view. Config can help only if the relevant resource type was already being recorded when the change occurred.
What does AWS Config and CloudTrail cost?
There is no single meaningful “Config versus CloudTrail” price. Billing depends on what you record, how much activity is generated, retention, query use, Region, and downstream storage or analysis.
CloudTrail cost dimensions
- Viewing the default Event history is free.
- Trails and CloudTrail Lake event data stores can incur charges based on the selected collection and storage configuration.
- Event category matters: management, data, Insights, and network activity events have different collection implications.
- Retention and query choices affect the cost of a Lake event data store and any S3-based analysis.
Config cost dimensions
- The resource types you record and evaluate influence consumption.
- The number of configuration items and rule evaluations affects usage.
- Delivering history to S3 and analyzing it elsewhere can add storage and processing charges.
- Region and account scope affect the resulting bill.
Exact rates change and depend on the selected features. Check the current AWS Config and CloudTrail pricing pages for the Region, billing unit, retention, and event configuration you plan to use before committing to a budget.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Can CloudTrail replace AWS Config, or can Config replace CloudTrail?
Neither service is a full replacement for the other. CloudTrail can show that an API operation occurred, but it does not provide a complete current-state inventory or Config Rule compliance result. Config can show how a recorded resource’s attributes changed and whether it complies, but it is not a complete actor-and-action log.
Best Value
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
A minimal design can use Event history for short-lived management investigations, but that approach leaves gaps for older evidence, data events, and continuous retention. A compliance-oriented design generally records the resource types and compliance history needed in Config and retains the CloudTrail event categories needed to establish administrative accountability.
How should you choose a design for your account?
Choose based on the question your auditors, responders, or operators must answer, then add the other service where the first leaves an evidence gap.
- State first: enable Config recording for the supported resources that matter, configure history delivery, and add Rules for required controls.
- Activity first: use CloudTrail Event history for recent management events, then configure a trail or Lake event data store for longer retention or additional event categories.
- Investigation ready: retain both services, align Regions and account scope, and establish a procedure for correlating Config timeline timestamps with CloudTrail events.
- Cost controlled: limit Config recording and CloudTrail event categories to the evidence you need, and model ingestion, storage, and query use before expanding scope.
Remember that Config and EventBridge notifications are described as best effort. Retained Config history and CloudTrail trail or Lake records should remain the authoritative evidence for investigations rather than relying solely on notification delivery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can AWS Config record resources in every AWS service?
No. Config records only supported resource types that you explicitly enable for recording in the relevant account and Region. A resource outside that scope will not gain Config configuration items or a timeline.
Will deleting a resource remove its CloudTrail evidence?
CloudTrail evidence is held by the collection mechanism that received it, such as a trail’s S3 destination or a Lake event data store, subject to that mechanism’s retention settings. The resource’s disappearance does not turn Event history into a permanent archive.
Can I search CloudTrail Event history across all Regions at once?
The Event history view is scoped to one account and one Region. A multi-Region or multi-account investigation requires appropriately configured trails or event data stores and a query or aggregation approach outside that single view.
Why is a Config compliance change missing from a resource timeline?
Current rule evaluation can still work without historical compliance recording. To see compliance transitions over time, recording for AWS::Config::ResourceCompliance must have been enabled when those transitions occurred.
Recommended Free Tools
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
