🔐 AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM)

We'll explore how to securely manage access to your AWS resources

🎯 What You'll Learn Today:

• What is IAM and why it's crucial in AWS

• Principals - Who can access your AWS resources

• Authentication - How AWS verifies identity

• Authorization - What actions are allowed

• Hands-on practice with real scenarios

🏢 Think of IAM like a Company Security System

Just like your office building has security badges, access cards, and different permissions for different employees, AWS IAM controls who can access what in your cloud environment!

🤔 What is AWS IAM?

🏠 Real-World Analogy: Your House Security

Your House = AWS Account
Keys & Access Cards = IAM Credentials
Family Members & Guests = IAM Users
Room Permissions = IAM Policies

IAM is AWS's Security Service that:

• Controls WHO can access your AWS resources

• Controls WHAT they can do with those resources

• Controls WHEN and WHERE they can access

• Is FREE to use (no additional charges)

• Works across ALL AWS services

💡 Simple Example:

Imagine you have a company AWS account. You want your developer to access only development servers, your accountant to see only billing, and your intern to have read-only access. IAM makes this possible!

👥 Principals: WHO can access?

🎭 Think of Principals as "Actors" in a Play

Every actor (principal) has a role and performs specific actions on stage (AWS)

Types of Principals:

1. 👤 IAM Users

Who: Individual people (employees, contractors)
Example: Vikram (Developer), Harsh (Admin), Yash (Intern)
Use Case: Long-term access for specific individuals

2. 👥 IAM Groups

Who: Collection of users with similar roles
Example: "Developers", "Interns", "Admins"
Use Case: Easier management of multiple users

3. 🤖 IAM Roles

Who: Applications, services, or temporary access
Example: "EC2-Access-Role", "Lambda-Execution-Role"
Use Case: Services accessing other services

                💡 Remember: Users are for humans, Roles are for applications and temporary access!
            

🔑 Authentication: HOW do we verify identity?

🏪 Like Showing ID at a Store

Before you can buy sim card, the Telecom regulations asks for your ID to verify you are who you claim to be. AWS does the same thing!

Authentication Methods:

1. 🔐 Username & Password

What: Traditional login credentials
Used for: AWS Management Console (web interface)
Example: harsh@company.com / SecurePassword123

2. 🗝️ Access Keys

What: Access Key ID + Secret Access Key
Used for: Programmatic access (APIs, CLI)
Example: AKIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE / wJalrXUtnFEMI/K7MDENG/bPxRfiCYEXAMPLEKEY

3. 📱 Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

What: Extra security layer (something you know + something you have)
Example: Password + Phone verification code
Best Practice: Always enable for important accounts!

🛡️ Security Best Practices:

• Never share access keys

• Rotate credentials regularly

• Always use MFA for admin accounts

• Use roles instead of long-term keys when possible

📋 Authorization: WHAT can they do?

🏢 Like Job Permissions at Work

Once you badge into the office (authentication), your job role determines what floors you can access, what systems you can use, and what actions you can perform (authorization).

How Authorization Works:

1. 📄 IAM Policies

What: JSON documents that define permissions
Structure: Effect (Allow/Deny) + Action + Resource
Example: "Allow harsh to read S3 buckets but not delete them"

2. 🏷️ Policy Types

Identity-based: Attached to users, groups, roles
Resource-based: Attached to resources (like S3 buckets)
AWS Managed: Pre-built by AWS
Customer Managed: Created by you

🎯 Simple Policy Example:

{

  "Effect": "Allow",

  "Action": "s3:GetObject",

  "Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::my-bucket/*"

}

Translation: "Allow reading files from my-bucket"

🚀 Other Key Features

1. 🔄 Temporary Credentials (STS)

What: Short-term access tokens
Use Case: Mobile apps, cross-account access
Benefit: More secure than long-term keys

2. 🔗 Identity Federation

What: Use external identity providers
Example: Login with Google, Microsoft, or company Active Directory
Benefit: Single sign-on experience

3. 📊 Access Analyzer

What: Identifies resources shared with external entities
Use Case: Security auditing and compliance
Benefit: Prevents accidental data exposure

4. 📈 CloudTrail Integration

What: Logs all IAM actions
Use Case: Auditing and troubleshooting
Benefit: Complete activity history

                🎖️ Best Practice: Follow the "Principle of Least Privilege" - Give users only the minimum permissions they need to do their job!
            

🛠️ Practical Learning Plan

What We'll Practice Today:

• Create your first IAM user

• Set up groups and assign permissions

• Create and attach policies

• Configure MFA

• Work with roles

📚 Summary & Key Takeaways

🎯 What We Learned:

• IAM is the foundation of AWS security

• Principals define WHO (Users, Groups, Roles)

• Authentication verifies identity (passwords, keys, MFA)

• Authorization controls permissions (policies)

• Best practices keep your AWS account secure

🧠 Memory Aid: "PAA Framework"

Principals - WHO
Authentication - HOW they prove identity
Authorization - WHAT they can do

🚀 Next Steps:

1. Practice the hands-on exercises
2. Experiment with different policies
3. Set up MFA on your own account
4. Ready to learn about AWS services like S3, EC2!

                💪 Remember: IAM might seem complex at first, but with practice, it becomes second nature. You're building the foundation for all your future AWS learning!
            