Rule: IAM User Should Not Have Any Inline or Attached Policies
This rule ensures IAM users do not have any inline or attached policies.
| Rule | IAM user should not have any inline or attached policies |
| Framework | SOC 2 |
| Severity | ✔ Low |
IAM User Inline and Attached Policy Restrictions for SOC 2 Compliance
Overview
In the context of SOC 2 compliance, ensuring that IAM (Identity and Access Management) users follow the principle of least privilege is crucial. Inline and attached IAM policies directly grant permissions to IAM users, which can sometimes lead to excess privileges that exceed what is required for their roles. Adhering to SOC 2 demands strict control over permissions, which typically involves restricting direct assignment of policies to users and instead leveraging IAM roles and managed policies.
Rule/Policy Description
To maintain SOC 2 compliance, it is recommended that IAM users should not have any inline policies or directly attached managed policies. Instead, permissions should be granted through group memberships or roles, which offers better manageability and auditing capabilities. Directly assigned policies to users can complicate tracking and auditing permissions, making it harder to demonstrate compliance.
Troubleshooting Steps
If an IAM user is found to have inline or attached policies, follow these steps to remediate:
- 1.Identify Attached Policies: Use the AWS Management Console or AWS CLI to list all policies attached to the IAM user.
- 2.Review and Document: Assess the necessity of each policy and document why it was attached to understand the scope of permissions.
- 3.Migrate to Groups or Roles: Where possible, transition the required permissions to a group that the user can join or an IAM role that the user can assume.
- 4.Detach and Delete Policies: Once permissions are appropriately migrated, detach managed policies and delete any inline policies from the IAM user.
Necessary Commands
Here's a set of AWS CLI commands for identifying and removing user policies:
List Attached User Policies
aws iam list-attached-user-policies --user-name <UserName>
Detach User Policy
aws iam detach-user-policy --user-name <UserName> --policy-arn <PolicyArn>
List Inline User Policies
aws iam list-user-policies --user-name <UserName>
Delete Inline User Policy
aws iam delete-user-policy --user-name <UserName> --policy-name <PolicyName>
Replace
<UserName><PolicyArn><PolicyName>Step by Step Guide for Remediation
- 1.
Identify Policies:
- Use the
command to list all managed policies attached to the user.aws iam list-attached-user-policies - Use
to find all inline policies the user has.aws iam list-user-policies
- 2.
Review Policies:
- For each policy identified, check what permissions it grants and if they're necessary for the user's job function.
- 3.
Reassign Permissions:
- Based on your review, determine if the permissions can be assigned through a group or a role.
- Update IAM groups or roles with the necessary permissions.
- 4.
Update IAM Users:
- Add the IAM user to the appropriate group that has the required permissions, or instruct the user on how to assume the necessary IAM role.
- 5.
Remove Policies:
- Detach each managed policy with the
command.aws iam detach-user-policy - Delete each inline policy with the
command.aws iam delete-user-policy
- 6.
Verify and Document:
- Confirm that all unnecessary policies have been removed.
- Document the changes for auditing purposes and to maintain SOC 2 compliance records.
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