Managing Permissions with AWS IAM

Overview

This project demonstrates how to enhance security in a cloud environment using AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM). I learned to manage and secure access to AWS resources by setting up policies, users, and user groups.

Key Learnings

• Amazon EC2 Management: Launched and managed EC2 instances to create scalable and reliable computing resources.

• AWS IAM Deep Dive:

  • Created and applied IAM policies to define permissions and control access.
  • Set up IAM users and user groups to manage permissions efficiently.
  • Implemented tags on EC2 instances to organize resources and apply specific policies.

• Practical Testing:

  • Tested permission settings by logging into my AWS account as a new IAM user.
  • Verified policy effectiveness by attempting actions on EC2 instances with varying levels of access.

Project Highlights

• Custom Sign-In URL: Utilized an AWS Account Alias to create a user-friendly sign-in URL for my account.
• Automated Permissions: Demonstrated how IAM can automate permissions for new joiners or different environments.
• Real-World Application: This knowledge is applicable in setting up secure environments for web development and cloud-based solutions.

Steps Taken

1. Setting Up EC2 Instances:
   • Created two EC2 instances tagged as "development" and "production."
   • Tags were used to test the effectiveness of IAM policies.

2. IAM Policy Creation:
   • Developed a JSON-based IAM policy allowing actions on resources tagged as "development" but restricting actions on "production" instances.

3. User and Group Management:
   • Created a user group (nextwork-dev-group) and attached the policy to control access.
   • Added a new IAM user to this group, ensuring they could only interact with the "development" environment.

4. Testing:
   • Logged in as the new IAM user to verify permissions.
   • Successfully restricted access to "production" resources while allowing actions in the "development" environment.

Final Thoughts

This project enhanced my understanding of AWS IAM and its crucial role in securing cloud environments. By simulating real-world scenarios, I gained insights into effectively managing user access and permissions in a scalable cloud infrastructure.

Feel free to connect with me or explore the project further on my LinkedIn.

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Additional Notes

I deleted the resources from my AWS console to avoid costs, so this GitHub repository serves as the sole showcase for my work on this project. I have documented all the steps and details to ensure a comprehensive understanding of my approach.