Ensure IAM Policy Should Not Grant Full Access to Service Rule
This rule ensures that IAM policies do not provide unrestricted access to services.
| Rule | Ensure IAM policy should not grant full access to service |
| Framework | NIST 800-53 Revision 5 |
| Severity | ✔ Critical |
IAM Policy Rule: Avoid granting full access to service
Rule Description
This rule ensures that IAM policies should not grant full administrative access to a service. This is in accordance with the NIST 800-53 Revision 5 standard, which emphasizes the principle of least privilege and the need to limit access rights to only what is necessary for users to perform their duties.
Rule Implementation
To implement this rule, you need to review and update IAM policies to remove any explicit or wildcard permissions that grant full administrative access to a service. Instead, permissions should be finely tuned and restricted to only the necessary actions and resources.
Troubleshooting Steps
If there are issues related to granting full access to a service through IAM policies, follow these troubleshooting steps:
- 1.
Identify the affected IAM policy: Review the IAM policies associated with the user or role experiencing the access issue.
- 2.
Check for explicit or wildcard permissions: Look for any permissions that grant full access through an '*' wildcard or explicit 'Allow' statement. This could include actions like
orService:*
.Service:FullAccess - 3.
Update policy permissions: Remove the unnecessary permissions and replace them with more granular and specific permissions based on the actual requirements of the user or role.
- 4.
Test and verify access: Once the policy is updated, verify that the user or role can perform the necessary actions without having excessive privileges.
Necessary Code
No specific code snippets are provided for this rule as it mainly involves reviewing and modifying IAM policies.
Step-by-Step Guide for Remediation
1. Identify the IAM policy
First, identify the IAM policy that provides full access to the service. This can be done by searching for policies associated with the user or role experiencing the issue.
2. Review the policy
Read through the policy and identify any permissions that grant full access to the service. Look for wildcard permissions or 'Allow' statements that encompass all actions for the service.
3. Update the policy
Modify the policy to remove the unnecessary permissions that provide full access to the service. Replace them with more specific and necessary actions or restrict access to specific resources.
4. Test the updated policy
Ensure that the user or role associated with the policy still has sufficient permissions to perform their intended actions without having excessive privileges. Test the updated policy thoroughly to validate access.
5. Repeat for all relevant policies
Review and update any other IAM policies that grant full access to the service to ensure compliance with the NIST 800-53 Revision 5 standard.
Conclusion
Applying the principle of least privilege and avoiding granting full access to services through IAM policies is crucial in maintaining a secure and well-controlled environment. By following the troubleshooting steps and implementing the necessary changes, organizations can ensure compliance with NIST 800-53 Revision 5 and reduce the risk of unauthorized access and potential security breaches.