Simplified Identity Management Using AWS IAM and AWS Identity Center

Overview

In today’s complex IT environments, managing identities and permissions efficiently is critical to maintaining security and operational efficiency. AWS Identity Center (formerly AWS Single Sign-On) integrates seamlessly with AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) to streamline workforce identity management. This integration simplifies access control, enhances security, and centralizes identity management for enterprises.

AWS Identity Center

AWS Identity Center is a centralized service for managing access to multiple AWS accounts and third-party business applications. It supports integration with external identity providers (IdPs) such as Azure AD, Okta, and Ping Identity via SAML 2.0 or SCIM.

Key features:

• Single sign-on (SSO) access to AWS accounts and applications.
• Integration with external identity providers for workforce management.
• Role-based access control (RBAC) and attribute-based access control (ABAC).

AWS IAM

AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) enables you to manage access to AWS resources securely. AWS IAM provides tools to:

• Define granular permissions for AWS services.
• Control resource access using roles, policies, and groups.
• Monitor and audit access with AWS CloudTrail and AWS IAM Access Analyzer.

Integration of AWS Identity Center with AWS IAM

AWS Identity Center leverages AWS IAM for secure access control to AWS accounts and services. Here’s how the integration works:

1. Centralized Access Management
   1. AWS Identity Center allows you to manage workforce identities in a centralized manner. Users authenticated through the AWS Identity Center assume IAM roles to access specific AWS resources.
   2. AWS Identity Center generates temporary security credentials via AWS Security Token Service (STS) to grant role-based access.
2. Simplified Role Assignments
   1. Administrators map AWS Identity Center groups or users to specific AWS IAM roles. This eliminates the need to create AWS IAM users for each employee, reducing management overhead.
   2. Permissions are granted based on AWS IAM policies attached to the roles.
3. External Identity Provider Integration
   1. AWS Identity Center supports integration with external IdPs. User identities from these IdPs are synchronized with AWS Identity Center using SCIM, enabling seamless SSO.
   2. AWS IAM policies enforce access permissions for users authenticated by the external IdP.
4. Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC)
   1. AWS Identity Center supports ABAC, which dynamically uses user attributes (e.g., department, role) from the IdP to assign permissions.

ABAC simplifies the management of large user bases by reducing reliance on static AWS IAM policies.

Setting Up AWS Identity Center with AWS IAM

Follow these steps to configure AWS Identity Center integration with AWS IAM:

Step 1: Enable the AWS Identity Center

1. Navigate to the AWS Management Console.
2. Go to the AWS Identity Center under the Security, Identity, and Compliance
3. Click Enable AWS Identity Center.

Step 2: Configure Identity Source

• Choose your identity source:
  • AWS Managed Directory: Use an AWS-provided directory service.
  • External IdP: Connect to third-party IdPs using SAML or SCIM for automatic user synchronization.

Step 3: Assign Access to AWS Accounts

1. Add users and groups to the AWS Identity Center.
2. Assign users/groups to AWS accounts by mapping them to permission sets.

Step 4: Create Permission Sets

1. Define permission sets in the AWS Identity Center.
2. Use pre-configured templates or create custom permission sets with tailored IAM policies.
3. Assign permission sets to users/groups.

Step 5: Test SSO Access

1. Users sign in to the AWS Identity Center user portal.
2. Select the assigned AWS account and assume the mapped AWS IAM role.
3. Verify access to resources as per the assigned permissions.

Benefits of AWS Identity Center and AWS IAM Integration

1. Centralized Management: Simplifies workforce identity and permissions across multiple AWS accounts.
2. Enhanced Security: Reduces the need for static AWS IAM users and credentials.
3. Dynamic Permissions: Enables scalable access control with ABAC.
4. Simplified User Experience: Provides a seamless SSO experience for employees.
5. Cost Efficiency: Lowers administrative overhead by automating role and policy management.

Best Practices for Integration

1. Use Attribute-Based Access Control: Leverage user attributes to minimize static policy definitions.
2. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Enhance security for user logins.
3. Audit Access Regularly: Use AWS CloudTrail and AWS IAM Access Analyzer to monitor access patterns.
4. Keep Permissions Least Privileged: Define restrictive policies to prevent over-permission.
5. Synchronize Groups with SCIM: Automate user and group synchronization from external IdPs.

Conclusion

By leveraging this powerful combination, organizations can manage access efficiently while ensuring robust security practices.

Start implementing AWS Identity Center and AWS IAM integration today to unlock the full potential of your AWS environment for workforce identity management.

Drop a query if you have any questions regarding AWS Identity Center or AWS IAM and we will get back to you quickly.

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