IAM best practices in AWS - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is the principle of least privilege in IAM?

It means giving users and roles only the permissions they need to do their job, and no more. This helps reduce security risks.

beginner

Why should you avoid using root account for daily tasks?

The root account has full access to everything. Using it daily increases risk of accidental or malicious changes. Instead, create users with limited permissions.

beginner

What is MFA and why is it important in IAM?

MFA stands for Multi-Factor Authentication. It adds an extra step to login, like a code from your phone, making accounts harder to hack.

intermediate

How do IAM roles help improve security?

IAM roles let you assign permissions to services or users temporarily without sharing long-term credentials. This limits exposure and improves control.

intermediate

Why is it important to regularly review IAM policies and permissions?

Regular reviews help find and fix overly broad permissions or unused accounts, keeping your environment secure and tidy.

What should you do before granting permissions to a new IAM user?

A Share passwords with other users

B Give full admin access by default

C Use the root account credentials

D Grant only the permissions needed for their tasks

Granting only necessary permissions follows the principle of least privilege, reducing security risks.

Which of the following is a best practice for securing the AWS root account?

A Enable MFA and avoid using it for daily tasks

B Share root credentials with team members

C Use root account for all API calls

D Disable MFA for easier access

Enabling MFA on the root account adds extra security, and avoiding daily use reduces risk.

What is the main benefit of using IAM roles instead of long-term user credentials?

A Roles allow unlimited access to all resources

B Roles require no permissions

C Roles provide temporary permissions without sharing passwords

D Roles are only for root users

IAM roles provide temporary, limited permissions, improving security by avoiding long-term credential exposure.

How often should you review IAM policies and permissions?

A Never, once set they are permanent

B Regularly, to remove unnecessary permissions

C Only when a security breach happens

D Once every 10 years

Regular reviews help maintain security by ensuring permissions are appropriate and up to date.

What does MFA add to the login process?

A An extra verification step like a code from a device

B A longer password requirement

C Automatic password reset

D Access without a password

MFA adds a second step to verify identity, making unauthorized access harder.

Explain the principle of least privilege and why it is important in IAM.

Think about giving only the keys someone needs, not all keys.

Describe how enabling MFA improves the security of AWS accounts.

Consider how a second lock on a door adds safety.