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AWS Security Best Practices Checklist

Establish a security policy for AWS resources

Identify sensitive data and how it should be handled on AWS

Implement Identity and Access Management (IAM) roles

Set multi-factor authentication for all users

Build a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) and secure subnets

Configure AWS Security Groups

Implement AWS Network Access Control Lists(ACLs)

Secure AWS S3 storage data encryption

Approval: Data Encryption Details

Ensure AWS RDS data is encrypted at rest

Keep security groups closed for unused ports

Perform regular audits of AWS resources

Set up regular snapshots for data backup

Implement CloudTrail to monitor AWS account activity

Ensure a comprehensive disaster recovery strategy is in place

Approval: Disaster Recovery Strategy

Run security vulnerability scans on your AWS resources

Implement AWS GuardDuty for intelligent threat detection

Establish Incident response and notification plan

Approval: Incident Response Plan

Establish a security policy for AWS resources

Define and document a comprehensive security policy for AWS resources. This policy will serve as a guideline for all security measures and practices to be followed. It should cover areas such as access control, data protection, incident response, and compliance. What should be included in the security policy? How will it contribute to the overall security of AWS resources? What are the desired results of implementing this policy? What challenges might arise and how can they be addressed? Are there any specific resources or tools required to create and enforce the policy?

Policy Name

Policy Description

Identify sensitive data and how it should be handled on AWS

Identify any sensitive data that will be stored or processed on AWS and determine how it should be handled to ensure its confidentiality, integrity, and availability. This includes identifying any specific compliance requirements or industry regulations that need to be considered. What types of sensitive data will be handled on AWS? How should it be protected? Are there any compliance requirements or regulations that need to be followed? How will handling sensitive data impact the overall security of AWS resources?

Sensitive Data Types

Handling Method

1

Encrypt data at rest
2

Encrypt data in transit
3

Implement data access controls
4

Regularly monitor data access
5

Implement data backup and recovery measures

Implement Identity and Access Management (IAM) roles

Implement IAM roles to manage access to AWS resources. IAM roles allow you to define fine-grained permissions for individual users or groups and control their access to specific resources or actions. This helps enforce the principle of least privilege and reduces the risk of unauthorized access. How will IAM roles be used to manage access to AWS resources? How will they help enforce the principle of least privilege? What are the desired results of implementing IAM roles? Are there any potential challenges in implementing IAM roles and how can they be addressed?

Role Name

Role Type

1

Administrator
2

Developer
3

Auditor
4

Data Analyst
5

Customer Support

Set multi-factor authentication for all users

Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all users accessing AWS resources. MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to provide an additional piece of information, such as a code generated by a mobile app or a physical token, in addition to their regular username and password. How will MFA be implemented for all users? What benefits does MFA provide in terms of security? How will this impact the overall access control of AWS resources? Are there any potential challenges in implementing MFA and how can they be addressed?

MFA Method

MFA Type

1

SMS
2

Mobile App
3

Hardware Token

Build a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) and secure subnets

Create a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) and configure secure subnets within it. A VPC provides an isolated network environment in which you can launch AWS resources. Secure subnets ensure that resources within them are protected and only accessible to authorized users or systems. How will a VPC be created and configured? What steps will be taken to ensure the security of subnets within the VPC? How will the VPC and subnets contribute to the overall security of AWS resources? Are there any specific resources or tools required to create and configure the VPC and subnets?

VPC Region

1

US East (N. Virginia)
2

US West (Oregon)
3

EU (Ireland)
4

Asia Pacific (Singapore)

VPC Name

Subnet Name

Configure AWS Security Groups

Configure AWS Security Groups to control inbound and outbound traffic to AWS resources. Security Groups act as virtual firewalls and allow you to define rules that allow or deny traffic based on IP addresses, ports, and protocols. How will Security Groups be configured to control traffic to AWS resources? How will this contribute to the overall network security? What are the desired results of configuring Security Groups? Are there any potential challenges in configuring Security Groups and how can they be addressed?

Security Group Name

Inbound Traffic Rules

1

Allow HTTP traffic (port 80)
2

Allow SSH traffic (port 22)
3

Allow RDP traffic (port 3389)
4

Deny all other traffic

Outbound Traffic Rules

1

Allow all outbound traffic
2

Deny all outbound traffic

Implement AWS Network Access Control Lists(ACLs)

Implement AWS Network Access Control Lists (ACLs) to control traffic at the subnet level. ACLs allow you to define rules that allow or deny traffic based on IP addresses and port numbers. They provide an additional layer of security alongside Security Groups. How will ACLs be implemented to control traffic at the subnet level? How will this enhance the overall network security? What are the desired results of implementing ACLs? Are there any potential challenges in implementing ACLs and how can they be addressed?

ACL Name

Inbound Traffic Rules

1

Allow HTTP traffic (port 80)
2

Allow SSH traffic (port 22)
3

Allow RDP traffic (port 3389)
4

Deny all other traffic

Outbound Traffic Rules

1

Allow all outbound traffic
2

Deny all outbound traffic

Secure AWS S3 storage data encryption

Configure data encryption for AWS S3 storage to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of stored data. Data encryption protects data from unauthorized access and helps meet compliance requirements. How will data encryption be configured for AWS S3 storage? What encryption methods will be used? How will this enhance the security of stored data? Are there any potential challenges in configuring data encryption for AWS S3 storage and how can they be addressed?

Bucket Name

Encryption Method

1

Server-Side Encryption with Amazon S3-Managed Keys (SSE-S3)
2

Server-Side Encryption with AWS Key Management Service (SSE-KMS)
3

Server-Side Encryption with Customer-Provided Keys (SSE-C)

Approval: Data Encryption Details

Secure AWS S3 storage data encryption
Will be submitted

Ensure AWS RDS data is encrypted at rest

Configure data encryption for AWS RDS (Relational Database Service) to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of data at rest. Data encryption protects data from unauthorized access and helps meet compliance requirements. How will data encryption be configured for AWS RDS? What encryption methods will be used? How will this enhance the security of data at rest? Are there any potential challenges in configuring data encryption for AWS RDS and how can they be addressed?

Database Name

Encryption Method

1

AWS KMS-Managed Keys
2

Customer-Managed Keys

Keep security groups closed for unused ports

Regularly review and close security groups for unused ports in order to minimize the attack surface and reduce the risk of unauthorized access. Unused ports should be closed to restrict access and prevent any potential security vulnerabilities. How will security groups be monitored for unused ports? How often will reviews be conducted? How will this help minimize the attack surface and enhance the overall security of AWS resources?

Region

1

US East (N. Virginia)
2

US West (Oregon)
3

EU (Ireland)
4

Asia Pacific (Singapore)

Perform regular audits of AWS resources

Regularly audit AWS resources to identify any security vulnerabilities or misconfigurations. Audits help ensure that security measures and best practices are being followed and provide an opportunity to remediate any issues. How often will audits be performed? What resources and tools will be used to conduct the audits? What are the desired outcomes of the audits? How will this contribute to the overall security of AWS resources?

Audit Frequency

1

Quarterly
2

Monthly
3

Weekly

Audit Checklist

1

Check for open security groups
2

Check for unencrypted data at rest
3

Check for unused IAM roles
4

Review access logs

Set up regular snapshots for data backup

Configure regular snapshots of your AWS resources to create backups of important data. Snapshots enable you to restore data in the event of accidental deletions, hardware failures, or other emergencies. Determine the appropriate snapshot schedule and retention period based on your data recovery requirements.

What is the snapshot schedule?

1

Daily
2

Weekly
3

Monthly
4

Custom schedule
5

No snapshots

Implement CloudTrail to monitor AWS account activity

Implement AWS CloudTrail to monitor and log account activity within your AWS environment. CloudTrail provides a detailed record of actions taken by users, services, and API calls made to your AWS account. This helps with security analysis, resource change tracking, and compliance auditing. Determine the appropriate settings for CloudTrail and configure it to meet your organization's monitoring and compliance needs.

What are the benefits of implementing AWS CloudTrail?

1

Monitor and log account activity
2

Track changes to AWS resources
3

Detect and investigate security incidents
4

Support compliance auditing
5

Enhance visibility and accountability

Ensure a comprehensive disaster recovery strategy is in place

Develop and implement a comprehensive disaster recovery strategy for your AWS resources. This strategy should include backups, replication, and failover mechanisms to ensure minimal downtime and data loss in the event of a disaster. Determine the Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO) for each resource and implement appropriate measures to achieve those objectives.

What is the Recovery Time Objective (RTO) for critical resources?

What is the Recovery Point Objective (RPO) for critical resources?

Approval: Disaster Recovery Strategy

Ensure a comprehensive disaster recovery strategy is in place
Will be submitted

Run security vulnerability scans on your AWS resources

Regularly run security vulnerability scans on your AWS resources to identify potential security weaknesses or vulnerabilities. This includes scanning for outdated software versions, misconfigurations, weak encryption settings, or any other security gaps. Choose a suitable vulnerability scanning tool and schedule regular scans to ensure timely identification and remediation of any issues.

What vulnerability scanning tool will you use?