Rely on a centralized identity provider

Managing identities effectively is crucial for securing AWS workloads. A centralized identity provider simplifies access management for both human and machine identities, ensuring that only authorized users and services can access the right resources. This approach helps in auditing access and maintaining compliance across your AWS environment.

Best Practices

Utilize a Centralized Identity Provider

• Choose a robust identity provider (IdP) that supports Single Sign-On (SSO) and integrates with AWS services. This centralizes user management and improves security.
• Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all users within the centralized IdP. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of verification.
• Regularly audit user access and permissions within the IdP. This ensures that only authorized users have access to the appropriate resources and helps in identifying any potential security risks.
• Leverage role-based access control (RBAC) within your IdP to ensure that users have the least privilege necessary for their job functions. This minimizes the risk of unauthorized access to sensitive resources.
• Integrate Identity Federation to allow secure, external access to AWS services for partners or vendors without creating multiple IAM users. This streamlines access management and enhances security.

Questions to ask your team

• What identity provider are you using to manage workforce identities?
• How do you ensure that access is consistently managed across all applications within the identity provider?
• What processes do you have in place for onboarding and offboarding users in the identity provider?
• How do you manage and track access permissions for both human and machine identities?
• What auditing capabilities does your identity provider offer to monitor access and changes?
• How do you deal with integration challenges between your centralized identity provider and other systems?
• Are there any access policies established to enforce least privilege principles for human and machine identities?
• What measures are in place to ensure secure authentication, such as multi-factor authentication, for users accessing AWS resources?

Who should be doing this?

Identity and Access Manager

• Establish and maintain a centralized identity provider for workforce identities.
• Create, modify, and deactivate user identities and access permissions.
• Ensure compliance with organizational security policies during identity management.
• Conduct regular audits of identities and access privileges.
• Provide support and training for users on accessing AWS resources securely.
• Integrate the identity provider with multiple applications and systems to streamline access management.

Security Architect

• Design the overall security architecture related to identity and access management.
• Evaluate and select identity management solutions that meet security, scalability, and compliance requirements.
• Develop policies and guidelines for securing access to AWS environments.
• Conduct risk assessments to identify potential vulnerabilities in identity management.
• Collaborate with other teams to ensure seamless integration of identity management across systems.

Cloud Operations Engineer

• Implement and manage the deployment of the centralized identity provider.
• Monitor and troubleshoot identity and access-related issues in the AWS environment.
• Ensure that machine identities are appropriately configured and secured for AWS services.
• Assist in defining and maintaining security best practices for machine identity management.
• Provide regular reporting on identity usage and access patterns to identify any anomalies.

Compliance Officer

• Ensure that identity management practices align with regulatory requirements and organizational standards.
• Conduct periodic audits and assessments to verify compliance with security protocols.
• Document identity management processes and maintain records for audit trails.
• Collaborate with the Identity and Access Manager to improve compliance measures.

What evidence shows this is happening in your organization?

• Centralized Identity Management Policy: A comprehensive policy document outlining the protocols for managing workforce identities through a centralized identity provider, including roles, responsibilities, and compliance measures.
• Identity Management Process Flow Diagram: A visual diagram illustrating the workflow for identity creation, assignment, management, and revocation within the centralized identity provider.
• Access Management Checklist: A checklist for administrators to ensure that all identity management tasks are completed effectively, covering the creation, modification, and removal of user and machine identities.
• Centralized Identity Provider Integration Guide: A guide detailing the steps to integrate various applications and systems with the centralized identity provider, emphasizing best practices for access control.
• Identity Audit Report: A periodic report that provides insights into identity usage, access patterns, and any security incidents related to identity management, helping organizations ensure compliance and improve security posture.

Cloud Services

AWS

• AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM): Supports centralized management of user identities and permissions across AWS services.
• Amazon Cognito: Provides user authentication and identity management for web and mobile apps, integrating with other AWS services.
• AWS Single Sign-On (SSO): Allows you to manage SSO access across multiple AWS accounts and business applications.

Azure

• Azure Active Directory (Azure AD): Enables centralized identity management for users, groups, and applications across Azure and on-premises environments.
• Azure AD B2C: Provides identity management for consumer-facing applications with social and local accounts.

Google Cloud Platform

• Google Cloud Identity: Centralizes identity services for managing users and controlling access to Google Cloud resources.
• Cloud IAM: Enables you to manage access control by defining who (identity) can take what action (role) on which resources.

Question: How do you manage identities for people and machines?
Pillar: Security (Code: SEC)