Security service that controls access to AWS services and resources by defining users, groups, and permissions.
5 minutes
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AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) is a core security service that helps control access to AWS resources securely. It enables you to manage permissions through policies attached to identities (users, groups, and roles).
IAM Users represent individual people or applications needing AWS access. Each user has unique security credentials including a password for console access and access keys for programmatic interactions.
IAM Groups are collections of users, making permission management easier. Instead of assigning permissions to each individual, you can assign them to groups.
IAM Roles are similar to users but aren't associated with specific people. Roles can be assumed by entities like AWS services, applications, or users from different AWS accounts.
IAM Policies are JSON documents defining permissions. They specify what actions are allowed or denied on which resources under what conditions. You can create custom policies or use AWS-managed ones.
Key IAM features include:
- Fine-grained access control to AWS resources
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA) for enhanced security
- Identity federation for using external identity providers
- Temporary credentials for applications and users
- Free usage within your AWS account
IAM Best Practices:
1. Follow the principle of least privilege
2. Use groups to assign permissions to users
3. Enable MFA for privileged users
4. Regularly rotate credentials
5. Use IAM roles for applications on EC2 instances
6. Use IAM roles for cross-account access
7. Apply conditions in policies when needed
8. Monitor activity with AWS CloudTrail
IAM is global and not region-specific. Once you create IAM resources, they're available across all AWS regions. The service integrates with most AWS services, providing consistent security controls throughout your AWS infrastructure.AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) is a core security service that helps control access to AWS resources securely. It enables you to manage permissions through policies attached to identities (users, groups, and roles).
IAM Users represent individual people or applications needing AWS access…