IAM User Should Not Have Any Inline or Attached Policies Rule
This rule specifies that IAM users should not have any inline or attached policies for better security measures.
| Rule | IAM user should not have any inline or attached policies |
| Framework | FedRAMP Moderate Revision 4 |
| Severity | ✔ Low |
Rule Description
This rule enforces that IAM users should not have any inline or attached policies for the "FedRAMP Moderate Revision 4" security level. FedRAMP (Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program) is a government-wide program that provides a standardized approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services. The "FedRAMP Moderate Revision 4" level represents the specific security requirements and controls for systems categorized as moderate impact level.
Reasoning
By preventing IAM users from having any inline or attached policies for the "FedRAMP Moderate Revision 4" level, it ensures that these users are not granted excessive permissions that may compromise the security of sensitive information. This rule helps to enforce the principle of least privilege, ensuring that IAM users only have the necessary permissions to perform their intended tasks.
Troubleshooting
If an IAM user is found to have inline or attached policies for the "FedRAMP Moderate Revision 4" level, the following troubleshooting steps can be taken:
- 1.
Verify the IAM User: Confirm that the IAM user in question has the attached or inline policies associated with the "FedRAMP Moderate Revision 4" level.
- 2.
Review Policy Permissions: Inspect the content and permissions of the policies in question to determine if they violate the rule. Check whether the policies grant excessive permissions beyond what is required for the user's role or responsibilities.
- 3.
Assess User's Requirements: Discuss with the IAM user, their role, and the tasks they need to perform. Ensure that the user understands the policy and can justify any additional permissions they may require.
- 4.
Review and Update Policies: Based on the assessment, remove any inline or attached policies associated with the "FedRAMP Moderate Revision 4" level that are not essential for the user's responsibilities. Modify or create new policies with appropriate permissions if necessary.
Remediation
To address this issue, follow these step-by-step instructions:
- 1.
Identify the IAM user(s) with inline or attached policies for the "FedRAMP Moderate Revision 4" level.
- 2.
Determine the specific policies that need to be removed or modified.
- 3.
Remove Attached Policies:
- Open the AWS Management Console.
- Go to the IAM service.
- Select "Users" from the sidebar.
- Locate the IAM user that needs to be modified.
- Click on the user's name to access their details.
- On the "Permissions" tab, review the listed managed policies and click on the associated policy name to view details.
- Click the "Detach Policy" button to remove the attached policy.
- Repeat this process for all policies associated with the "FedRAMP Moderate Revision 4" level.
- 4.
Remove Inline Policies:
- On the same user's details page in the IAM console, go to the "Permissions" tab.
- Scroll down to the inline policies section.
- Click on the "X" icon next to each "FedRAMP Moderate Revision 4" inline policy to delete them.
- Confirm the deletion when prompted.
- 5.
Update and Create Policies (if necessary):
- If the user still requires additional permissions, craft new managed policies or modify existing ones to suit their needs.
- Follow the AWS documentation on creating and updating IAM policies to ensure the least privileged access is granted.
- 6.
Validate Remediation:
- Double-check that the IAM user no longer has any inline or attached policies associated with the "FedRAMP Moderate Revision 4" level.
- Test the user's access and verify that they can perform their required tasks without any issues.
Conclusion
By adhering to this rule and removing any inline or attached policies associated with the "FedRAMP Moderate Revision 4" level, you can ensure that IAM users have the appropriate level of access and reduce the potential for unauthorized or unnecessary permissions. This enhances the overall security posture of the system and aligns with the principles of the FedRAMP program.