Amazon web services, or AWS, is a data protection service that allows you to run your business while utilizing a flexible and secure cloud computing platform. There are many benefits of AWS, and it will help you meet core security and compliance requirements. However, utilizing AWS can be difficult for those who are unfamiliar with the service. This can cause you to miss out on many of its benefits, as well as open you and your company up to potential data breaches. In order to avoid these pitfalls, you need to follow AWS cloud security best practices. Here’s what you need to know.
Create A Strong Password
Your password is your first defense against security threats. In order to protect your information, it’s important that you create a strong password for your AWS resources. A strong password should utilize letters, numbers, and special characters. So try to avoid obvious choices like “password” or your daughter’s name. You may also consider utilizing a third-party password management tool that can create and store strong passwords for you and your company. This will further protect you from a potential data breach.
Use A Group Email For Your Account
While there are probably many things that only you can do in your company, accessing your AWS account shouldn’t be one of them. If for some reason you can’t respond to an AWS notification, other members of your organization whom you have deemed trustworthy should be able to access and manage your account in your absence. This can be done by using a group email for your AWS account.
Utilize Multi-Step Verification
Another AWS cloud security best practice is to enable multi-step verification. While this may seem tedious at times when it’s not needed, it’s incredibly important should you ever actually need it.
What makes multi-step verification so beneficial is that it essentially requires two pieces of information. First, you need to enter what you know, specifically your username and password. However, as a second precaution, you must enter what you have, a code sent to your phone or email. This makes it far more difficult for someone without authorization to access your account.
Delete Access Keys
AWS allows you to utilize programmatic access to your account and resources. However, it is recommended that you don’t use access keys associate with your root account. If you currently have these access keys, it is recommended that you delete them. An alternative option is to create an IAM user and allow that user permissions needed only for the APIs you’re planning to call. That IAM user can then issue access keys as needed.
Enable CloudTrail
Enabling CloudTrail will allow you to track all of your activity in your AWS resources. Even if you don’t fully understand CloudTrail, it is a good idea to turn it on as it will allow AWS Support to monitor your information and help troubleshoot any potential security or configuration issues you run into down the line.
If you need help understanding or implementing AWS Cloud Security best practices, consider reaching out to a qualified tech expert today. Whether you’re looking for a consultation, or a talented candidate to help manage your account on an ongoing basis, reaching out to an expert or recruiter is a great way to make sure that your information and account are safe and operating as they should.
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