3.4.1.2. Identity Federation Techniques (IAM Identity Providers, AWS IAM Identity Center)
First Principle: Allowing users to leverage existing corporate/web identities to access AWS resources simplifies access management and enhances security.
Managing distinct identities across various systems (especially in cloud environments) introduces complexity and security risks. Identity federation eliminates separate AWS IAM users, streamlining credential management, and improving user experience.
Identity Federation enables external identities to assume temporary roles in AWS, granting permissions without creating permanent IAM users. This is crucial for scenarios like single sign-on (SSO) for employees or secure access for external partners.
Key AWS services facilitating federation include:
- IAM Identity Providers (IdPs): Integrate AWS with external identity systems (SAML 2.0, OIDC) like corporate directories (Active Directory, Okta) or public IdPs (Google, Facebook).
- Practical Relevance: Enables seamless SSO for internal users and secure, scalable access for external users without managing individual AWS credentials.
- AWS IAM Identity Center (SSO): Centralizes access management to multiple AWS accounts and business applications from a single sign-on portal.
- Practical Relevance: Simplifies multi-account governance, granting users access to specific accounts/applications with a unified experience.
Scenario: A large enterprise with an on-premises Active Directory needs to enable its employees to access various AWS accounts and applications without creating and managing separate IAM users in each AWS account.
Reflection Question: How would you use AWS IAM Identity Center (SSO) and Identity Federation techniques to allow employees to leverage their existing corporate identities for secure access to AWS, simplifying access management and enhancing the overall security posture?
Federation significantly enhances security by reducing the attack surface associated with managing numerous static credentials.
š” Tip: Consider how identity federation directly reduces "credential sprawl" ā the proliferation of unique usernames and passwords across various systems ā thereby minimizing the risk of compromised credentials.