AWS IAM Access Analyzer - Technical Lesson

1. Introduction

The AWS IAM Access Analyzer is a feature that helps you identify the resources in your AWS account that can be accessed from outside your account. It provides insights into resource policies and helps ensure they comply with best practices for security.

2. Key Concepts

Access Analyzer

Access Analyzer analyzes resource policies and produces findings that indicate whether your resources are shared with external entities.

Findings

Findings are generated when the analyzer determines that a resource policy allows access to external entities. They include details about the resource, the policy, and the principal that has access.

Note: Regularly review your findings to ensure that unintended access is addressed promptly.

3. Step-by-Step Usage

3.1 Creating an Access Analyzer

Sign in to the AWS Management Console.
Navigate to IAM.
Select "Access Analyzer" from the sidebar.
Click on "Create Analyzer".
Provide a name for your analyzer and select the analyzer type.
Click on "Create Analyzer" to finish the setup.

3.2 Reviewing Findings

To review findings, follow these steps:

Go to the IAM Access Analyzer dashboard.
Select your analyzer.
Click on the "Findings" tab to see the list of findings.
Click on a finding to view details, including the affected resource and policy.

3.3 Example: AWS CLI Command to Create an Analyzer

You can also create an Access Analyzer using the AWS CLI:

aws accessanalyzer create-analyzer --analyzer-name MyAnalyzer --type ACCOUNT

4. Best Practices

Regularly review findings and adjust resource policies accordingly.
Implement least privilege access for all resources.
Ensure that resources are shared only when necessary.
Monitor and audit access logs for unusual activities.

5. FAQ

What resources can IAM Access Analyzer analyze?

It can analyze IAM roles, S3 buckets, Lambda functions, and other resources with resource-based policies.

How often does Access Analyzer run?

Access Analyzer runs continuously and updates findings as resource policies change.

Can I delete an Access Analyzer?

Yes, you can delete an Access Analyzer through the AWS Management Console or the AWS CLI.