How can you monitor and control access to cloud resources?

1 Define your access policies

Before you grant access to any cloud resource, you need to define your access policies based on the principle of least privilege. This means that you only give the minimum level of access required for each user, role, or function. You also need to consider the type, sensitivity, and location of your data, as well as the regulatory and legal requirements that apply to your industry and region. You can use tools such as identity and access management (IAM) and cloud access security broker (CASB) to enforce your policies and prevent unauthorized or inappropriate access.

2 Implement multi-factor authentication

One of the most common ways that attackers gain access to your cloud resources is by exploiting weak or compromised credentials. To prevent this, you need to implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all your cloud accounts and services. MFA requires users to provide more than one piece of evidence to verify their identity, such as a password, a code, a token, or a biometric factor. You can use tools such as Azure Active Directory, Google Cloud Identity, or AWS IAM to enable MFA for your cloud platforms and applications.

3 Monitor your access logs and alerts

To detect and respond to any suspicious or anomalous activity on your cloud resources, you need to monitor your access logs and alerts. Access logs record who accessed what, when, where, and how, while alerts notify you of any potential issues or incidents. You can use tools such as CloudWatch, CloudTrail, or Stackdriver to collect, analyze, and visualize your access logs and alerts. You can also use tools such as CloudFormation, Terraform, or Ansible to automate your access management and configuration.

4 Audit and review your access rights

To ensure that your access policies and practices are aligned with your business objectives and compliance standards, you need to audit and review your access rights regularly. You need to check for any changes, errors, or inconsistencies in your access permissions, roles, and groups. You also need to verify that your access rights are still valid and relevant for each user, role, or function. You can use tools such as Cloud Security Assessment, Cloud Compliance, or Cloud Audit to perform your access audits and reviews.

5 Train and educate your users

To reduce the human error and negligence that can compromise your cloud security, you need to train and educate your users on how to access and use your cloud resources safely and responsibly. You need to provide them with clear guidelines, policies, and procedures on how to request, grant, revoke, and report access. You also need to raise their awareness of the common threats and risks that they may encounter on the cloud, such as phishing, malware, or data breaches. You can use tools such as Cloud Academy, Coursera, or Udemy to offer your users online courses, quizzes, and certifications on cloud security and access management.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?