🔐 AWS Security Cheat Sheet
This guidance is my own and does not represent the views, guidance, or recommendations from any employer. I have put this list together from my personal experience.
A comprehensive guide to securing AWS environments, covering IAM, network security, data protection, monitoring, and compliance. 🛡️
🆔 1. Identity and Access Management (IAM)
| Best Practice | Description |
|---|---|
| ✅ Use IAM Roles | Avoid static credentials; assign IAM roles to applications instead. |
| 🎯 Least Privilege Access | Grant only necessary permissions to users and services. |
| 🔑 Enable MFA | Require Multi-Factor Authentication for all IAM users. |
| 🔗 Service-Linked Roles | Use AWS service-linked roles for secure service-to-service communication. |
| 🔄 Rotate IAM Credentials | Regularly rotate access keys and IAM credentials. |
| 🔐 Enforce Strong Passwords | Set password policies for complexity, rotation, and expiration. |
| 🔍 IAM Access Analyzer | Detect overly permissive policies to minimize risk. |
🌐 2. Network Security
| Best Practice | Description |
|---|---|
| 🏗 Use VPCs | Isolate and segment workloads using Virtual Private Clouds. |
| 🛡 Enable AWS WAF | Protect applications from common web threats. |
| 🚧 Restrictive Security Groups | Limit inbound and outbound traffic to required sources only. |
| 🛑 Network ACLs (NACLs) | Apply additional layer of security beyond Security Groups. |
| ⚡ AWS Shield | Protect against DDoS attacks (Standard for free, Advanced for more protection). |
| 📊 VPC Flow Logs | Enable logging to monitor network traffic and detect anomalies. |
🔒 3. Data Security
| Best Practice | Description |
|---|---|
| 🔐 Encrypt Data at Rest | Use AWS KMS (Key Management Service) for secure encryption. |
| 📡 Encrypt Data in Transit | Ensure HTTPS/TLS encryption for all data transmissions. |
| 🕵️ Secrets Management | Store credentials securely in AWS Secrets Manager or SSM Parameter Store. |
| 💾 Automated Backups | Use AWS Backup or snapshots to maintain data redundancy. |
| 🚫 S3 Bucket Policies | Enforce least privilege and block public access to sensitive data. |
| 🔄 S3 Object Lock & Versioning | Prevent accidental deletion and enable recovery options. |
📊 4. Monitoring & Logging
| Best Practice | Description |
|---|---|
| 🔍 Enable CloudTrail | Track API calls and changes across AWS accounts. |
| 📈 Monitor with CloudWatch | Set up alarms and logs for performance & security events. |
| ✅ Use AWS Config | Audit configuration changes for compliance and security. |
| 🛡 Enable GuardDuty | Detect anomalies, threats, and potential security breaches. |
| 🏛 AWS Security Hub | Aggregate security findings in one dashboard. |
| 📢 Set Up SNS Alerts | Get real-time notifications for security-related events. |
🖥️ 5. Instance & Compute Security
| Best Practice | Description |
|---|---|
| 🚫 Use Instance Profiles | Avoid storing AWS credentials on EC2 instances. |
| 🔄 Patch EC2 Instances | Regularly update OS and software for security fixes. |
| 🔒 Restrict SSH Access | Limit SSH connections via Security Groups and IAM rules. |
| 🕵️ Run AWS Inspector | Perform vulnerability assessments on EC2 instances. |
| 👤 Disable Root Logins | Use IAM and sudo for administrative access instead. |
📦 6. Serverless & Application Security
| Best Practice | Description |
|---|---|
| 🔐 Enforce Least Privilege for Lambda | Assign minimal permissions to Lambda functions. |
| 🛠 Scan Dependencies | Use AWS CodeGuru and security scanners to check for vulnerabilities. |
| 🔑 Secure API Gateway | Use authentication (IAM, Cognito, JWT) for API endpoints. |
| 🆔 Use Cognito for Authentication | Manage secure user authentication with AWS Cognito. |
| 🔒 Secure Database Access | Prefer IAM authentication for RDS & DynamoDB over password-based access. |
⚖️ 7. Compliance & Best Practices
| Best Practice | Description |
|---|---|
| 📊 AWS Well-Architected Tool | Evaluate security best practices for AWS workloads. |
| 🏛 Use Service Control Policies (SCPs) | Enforce policies across multiple AWS accounts via AWS Organizations. |
| 🔍 AWS Audit Manager | Automate compliance tracking and reporting. |
| 🛠 Understand the Shared Responsibility Model | AWS secures infrastructure, customers secure applications. |
| 🤖 Automate Compliance Checks | Use AWS Config Rules to enforce security policies. |
🆘 8. Incident Response & Recovery
| Best Practice | Description |
|---|---|
| 🔄 Test Incident Response Plans | Regularly conduct security drills. |
| ⚡ Automate Security Responses | Use AWS Lambda and Security Hub for auto-remediation. |
| 💾 Maintain Backups | Regularly back up critical data and systems. |
| 🔍 Review IAM Access Advisor | Identify and remove unused permissions. |
| 🌎 Enable Centralized Logging | Use AWS Organizations for unified security monitoring. |
🎯 Summary: AWS Security Best Practices 🚀
- 🛑 IAM Security: Enforce MFA, least privilege access, and strong password policies.
- 🛡 Network Security: Secure VPCs with Security Groups, NACLs, and AWS WAF.
- 🔐 Data Security: Encrypt data at rest (AWS KMS) & in transit (TLS/SSL).
- 📊 Monitoring: Use CloudTrail, CloudWatch, GuardDuty, and Security Hub.
- 🚀 Application Security: Secure Lambda, API Gateway, and RDS authentication.
- ⚖️ Compliance: Leverage AWS Organizations, Audit Manager, and SCPs.
- 🆘 Incident Response: Test plans, automate remediation, and maintain backups.
🔥 Security is a continuous process! Keep refining your AWS security strategies and follow best practices for a resilient cloud environment. 🚀