AWS IAM - Identity Access Management

Security is a critical aspect of cloud computing, and AWS IAM (Identity and Access Management) helps you control who can access your AWS resources and what actions they can perform. If you're new to AWS, let’s break it down in simple terms.

AWS IAM is a secure access management system that helps you define who can access your AWS resources and what they can do. It’s like having different keys and permissions for different users in an organization.

? Example: Imagine you run a company.

• Admin (Root User) – Has full control, like a CEO.
• Developers (IAM Users) – Can manage code but not billing.
• Finance Team (IAM Roles) – Can check billing but not modify infrastructure.

Key Components of IAM

1?? Users – Individual AWS accounts (e.g., developers, admins).

2?? Groups – A collection of users with common permissions (e.g., Dev Team).

3?? Roles – Temporary access granted to AWS services (e.g., EC2 accessing S3).

4?? Policies – JSON-based rules that define permissions.

Why Use AWS IAM?

? Enhanced Security – Restrict access based on user roles.

? Granular Control – Define specific permissions for different users.

? Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) – Adds an extra layer of protection.

? AWS Service Access – Allows services like Lambda and EC2 to interact securely.

IAM Basics

1. Identification – Who are you? ??
2. Authentication – Prove it! ??
3. Authorization – What can you do? ?

This is the foundation of security in AWS IAM, applications, and networks.

Identities

1. Individual Identities ??
2. Shared Identities ??
3. Workload or Application Identities ??

Each type serves a different need but follows Identification, Authentication, and Authorization principles.

Analogy

• Individual Identity – Personal office key (IAM user).
• Shared Identity – Team using a common key (shared IAM role).
• Workload Identity – Vending machine auto-unlocking (IAM role for apps).

Identity Provider (IdP)

It's like a security guard for websites and apps. Imagine you have a VIP pass (your login details) to get into a special club (a website or app). Instead of showing your pass at every club you visit, you just show it once to the security guard (the IdP). After that, the guard gives you a wristband (an authentication token) that lets you enter all the other clubs (websites/apps) without showing your pass again.

The IdP helps by:

1. Verifying that you are who you say you are (checking your username and password or other details).
2. Giving you a secure way to prove your identity to other services without needing to log in repeatedly.

So, when you log into services using your Google or Facebook account, those are examples of Identity Providers doing this job for you.

Some common examples IdPs include: Okta, Google Identity Platform, Auth0, Microsoft Azure Active Directory, Ping Identity

SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language)

Think of SAML as an old-school ticketing system for the web. It’s used to let a user log into one service (like a website) and then automatically access other services without needing to log in again.

• How it works:
• When to use it: It's mostly used in enterprise environments (companies or organizations) for things like accessing internal apps or systems.

OIDC (OpenID Connect)

OIDC is like SAML, but it's a bit newer and simpler, and it works well with modern apps, especially mobile and web-based ones.

• How it works:
• When to use it: It’s commonly used in web and mobile apps because it’s easier to integrate with these services.

Key Differences:

• SAML: Often used for enterprise/legacy systems. It’s XML-based and more complex.
• OIDC: A newer, simpler standard based on OAuth 2.0, often used for web and mobile apps. It uses JSON and is more modern.

In short:

• SAML = Old-school web login for large companies and systems.
• OIDC = Modern, mobile-friendly login system (think logging in with Google or Facebook).