Share resources securely with a third party

When sharing resources with a third party, it’s essential to extend your security practices beyond your organization. This ensures that third-party access is tightly controlled, minimizing the risk of unintended access or security breaches. Permission management for third-party systems should adhere to the principle of least privilege, utilizing just-in-time access and temporary credentials. By working closely with third parties, you can reduce the scope of impact and collaboratively manage access securely.

1. Use temporary credentials for third-party access: Grant third-party access using temporary credentials, such as AWS Security Token Service (STS) tokens or IAM roles. This ensures that third-party access is time-limited and only active when needed, reducing the risk of long-term exposure.
2. Apply just-in-time access: Implement just-in-time access controls, where third-party access is only granted when required and revoked immediately after. This limits the duration of access and reduces the window of opportunity for misuse.
3. Follow the principle of least privilege: Grant the minimum level of access that the third party needs to perform their tasks. Use IAM policies and resource-based policies to ensure that third-party entities can only access the specific resources required, without broader permissions.
4. Monitor and audit third-party access: Use AWS CloudTrail and other logging tools to monitor third-party access and track all actions taken. Ensure that any unauthorized or unexpected actions are detected and responded to quickly.
5. Collaborate on security practices: Work closely with third parties to establish security protocols that align with your organization’s standards. Ensure the third party is aware of your security requirements, such as the use of temporary credentials and least privilege, and agree on how access will be managed and monitored.
6. Regularly review and revoke access: Periodically review third-party access to ensure that permissions are still necessary and aligned with current needs. Revoke any permissions that are no longer required to maintain the least privilege principle.

Supporting Questions:

• How do you ensure that third parties only have temporary access to the resources they need?
• What processes are in place to monitor third-party access and detect any unauthorized actions?
• How do you collaborate with third parties to establish and maintain secure access protocols?

Roles and Responsibilities:

Cloud Security Architect:

• Responsibilities:
  • Design and enforce temporary, least privilege access policies for third-party systems.
  • Establish just-in-time access protocols to limit third-party access to necessary timeframes.
  • Collaborate with third-party vendors to ensure secure access practices are followed.

Third-Party Administrator:

• Responsibilities:
  • Comply with security protocols established by the organization, using temporary credentials and maintaining least privilege.
  • Coordinate with the organization to ensure access is requested and revoked as needed for operations.

Artefacts:

• Third-Party Access Policies: Documentation outlining the policies and protocols for securely sharing resources with third-party entities, including temporary access and least privilege requirements.
• Access Logs: Logs from AWS CloudTrail detailing actions taken by third parties, providing a clear audit trail for review.
• Collaboration Agreements: Formal agreements between your organization and third parties, specifying the security measures and access controls in place.

Relevant AWS Services:

AWS Identity Services:

• AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM): Use IAM roles and resource-based policies to manage and enforce least privilege access for third parties. Define specific permissions for third-party access based on their roles and needs.
• AWS Security Token Service (STS): Issue temporary credentials to third-party entities, ensuring access is time-limited and reduces the risk of long-term exposure.

Monitoring and Compliance Services:

• AWS CloudTrail: Monitor and log all third-party access to AWS resources, ensuring actions are audited and any unauthorized access is detected and investigated.
• AWS Config: Track configuration changes and access permissions to ensure that third-party access complies with the organization’s security policies.