IAM Roles for AWS Services:
IAM roles are a vital component of AWS security, enabling you to delegate access to AWS resources securely. Here’s what you need to know:
- Definition: IAM roles are entities with permissions to perform tasks in AWS. They are not associated with a specific user but are assumed by entities such as AWS services, EC2 instances, or users from another AWS account.
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Key Concepts:
- Trust Policy: Specifies who or what can assume the role.
- Permissions Policy: Defines the permissions granted to the role.
- Role Session: When a role is assumed, it creates a temporary session with temporary security credentials.
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Use Cases:
- Granting EC2 instances access to other AWS services without embedding credentials.
- Enabling AWS Lambda functions to access specific resources.
- Facilitating cross-account access between AWS accounts.
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Best Practices:
- Follow the principle of least privilege.
- Regularly review and update IAM roles.
- Use IAM policy conditions for granular control.
IAM Security Tools:
AWS offers several security tools to enhance IAM security and protect against unauthorized access:
- IAM Access Analyzer: Analyzes resource policies to help administrators identify and fix unintended access.
- IAM Policy Simulator: Allows you to test and validate IAM policies to ensure they grant the intended permissions.
- IAM Credential Report: Provides a detailed list of all users and their associated credentials, helping administrators monitor and manage IAM users effectively.
- AWS Organizations: Enables centralized management of multiple AWS accounts, allowing you to apply IAM policies across all accounts.
- AWS Single Sign-On (SSO): Simplifies IAM management by providing single sign-on access to multiple AWS accounts and business applications using existing corporate credentials.
- AWS Security Hub: Provides a comprehensive view of security alerts and compliance status across AWS accounts, including IAM-related findings.
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