Mastering Multi-Account Management with AWS Control Tower and Landing Zones - Part 3: Advanced Security, Compliance, and Automation
Table of Contents for Part 3:
Introduction
Advanced Security and Compliance in AWS Control Tower 2.1. Control Types: Detective, Preventive, and Proactive 2.2. Encryption at Scale 2.3. AWS Security Hub and Control Tower Integration 2.4. Service Control Policies (SCPs) for Cost Control 2.5. Tagging Strategies for Resource Management
Automating Landing Zones with AWS Control Tower Account Factory for Terraform (AFT) 3.1. Introduction to AFT 3.2. AFT Implementation Demo
Conclusion
Welcome to the final part of our comprehensive guide on mastering multi-account management with AWS Control Tower and Landing Zones. In this section, we'll delve into advanced security and compliance features, explore various control types, discuss encryption at scale, and examine the integration between AWS Security Hub and Control Tower. We'll also cover Service Control Policies (SCPs) for cost control and effective tagging strategies.
To cap it all off, we'll provide a demo of automating landing zones using AWS Control Tower Account Factory for Terraform (AFT), showcasing how you can streamline and scale your multi-account management even further.
Advanced Security and Compliance in AWS Control Tower
2.1. Control Types: Detective, Preventive, and Proactive
AWS Control Tower implements three types of controls, each serving a specific purpose in maintaining security and compliance:
a) Detective Controls:
Purpose: Identify non-compliance after it occurs
Example: AWS Config rule to detect public S3 buckets
Implementation: Use AWS Config Rules and AWS Security Hub
Best Practices:
Enable relevant AWS Config Rules across all accounts
Set up alerts for non-compliant resources
Implement automated remediation where possible
b) Preventive Controls:
Purpose: Stop non-compliant actions before they occur
Example: SCP to prevent deletion of CloudTrail trails
Implementation: Use Service Control Policies (SCPs) and IAM policies
Best Practices:
Implement least-privilege access
Use SCPs to enforce organization-wide policies
Regularly review and update preventive controls
c) Proactive Controls:
Purpose: Guide users towards compliance and best practices
Example: AWS Service Catalog to provide pre-approved resources
Implementation: Use AWS Service Catalog and CloudFormation templates
Best Practices:
Create a curated catalog of compliant resources
Educate users on the importance of using approved resources
Regularly update the catalog based on evolving needs and best practices
2.2. Encryption at Scale
Implementing encryption at scale is crucial for protecting data across your multi-account environment. AWS Control Tower can help manage encryption consistently:
a) AWS Key Management Service (KMS) Integration:
Use AWS KMS to manage encryption keys across accounts
Implement automatic key rotation for enhanced security
b) Default Encryption for S3 Buckets:
Enable default encryption for all S3 buckets using AWS KMS keys
Use SCPs to enforce encryption on new buckets
c) EBS Volume Encryption:
Enable default encryption for EBS volumes in all accounts
Use AWS Config Rules to detect and remediate unencrypted volumes
d) RDS Encryption:
Enforce encryption for all RDS instances using AWS KMS keys
Implement a Config Rule to ensure compliance
Best Practices:
Use a centralized KMS key management strategy
Implement key aliases for easier management across accounts
Regularly audit and rotate encryption keys
Use AWS CloudHSM for workloads requiring dedicated hardware security modules
2.3. AWS Security Hub and Control Tower Integration
The integration of AWS Security Hub with Control Tower provides a comprehensive security posture management solution:
a) Automated Enablement:
- Security Hub is automatically enabled in all accounts managed by Control Tower
b) Centralized Dashboard:
View security findings from all accounts in a single dashboard
Prioritize and track remediation efforts across your organization
c) Compliance Standards:
Enable and monitor compliance with standards like CIS AWS Foundations Benchmark, PCI DSS, and NIST 800-53
Create custom security standards tailored to your organization's needs
d) Integration with Third-party Tools:
- Extend Security Hub's capabilities by integrating with partner solutions
Best Practices:
Regularly review Security Hub findings and track remediation progress
Use Security Hub's custom insights to focus on specific security concerns
Implement automated remediation for common issues using AWS Systems Manager Automation
Conduct regular security posture reviews using Security Hub data
2.4. Service Control Policies (SCPs) for Cost Control
SCPs are a powerful tool for implementing cost control measures across your organization:
a) Restrict Expensive Services:
Use SCPs to prevent the use of costly services in non-production environments
Example SCP:
b) Enforce Tagging Policies:
Require cost allocation tags on all resources
Deny resource creation without proper tags
c) Limit Regional Usage:
- Restrict resource creation to specific AWS regions to control costs and compliance
Best Practices:
Start with least-privilege SCPs and gradually allow necessary actions
Regularly review and update SCPs based on changing business needs
Use AWS Cost Explorer and AWS Budgets to monitor the effectiveness of your cost control measures
2.5. Tagging Strategies for Resource Management
Implementing a comprehensive tagging strategy is crucial for effective resource management and cost allocation:
a) Mandatory Tags:
Enforce mandatory tags such as Environment, Project, Owner, and CostCenter
Use AWS Organizations Tag Policies to ensure consistent tagging across accounts
b) Automated Tagging:
Implement Lambda functions to automatically tag resources based on creation context
Use AWS Config Rules to detect and remediate improperly tagged resources
c) Tag-based Access Control:
- Use resource tags in IAM policies to control access to resources
d) Cost Allocation:
Use tags for detailed cost allocation reports in AWS Cost Explorer
Set up tag-based billing alarms using AWS Budgets
Best Practices:
Develop a clear, organization-wide tagging taxonomy
Educate teams on the importance of proper tagging
Regularly audit and clean up tags
Use tag-based views in AWS Config and AWS Resource Groups for easier resource management
Automating Landing Zones with AWS Control Tower Account Factory for Terraform (AFT)
AWS Control Tower Account Factory for Terraform (AFT) is a solution that allows you to automate the creation and bootstrapping of AWS accounts using Terraform. It extends the capabilities of Control Tower's Account Factory, enabling you to define and manage your multi-account environment as code.
Key benefits of AFT:
Automate account provisioning and customization
Ensure consistency across accounts
Version control your account configurations
Integrate with your existing CI/CD pipelines
3.2. AFT Implementation Demo
Let's walk through setting up and using AFT:
Step 1: Prerequisites
Ensure you have AWS Control Tower set up
Install Terraform (version 0.15.0 or later)
Configure AWS CLI with appropriate permissions
Step 2: Deploy AFT
a) Clone the AFT repository:
git clone https://github.com/aws-ia/terraform-aws-control_tower_account_factory
cd terraform-aws-control_tower_account_factory
b) Configure AFT parameters in terraform.tfvars:
control_tower_parameters = {
aws_region = "us-east-1"
aft_management_account_id = "123456789012"
ct_management_account_id = "098765432109"
log_archive_account_id = "234567890123"
audit_account_id = "345678901234"
}
terraform_distribution = "oss"
terraform_version = "1.0.0"
c) Initialize and apply Terraform:
terraform init
terraform apply
Step 3: Create an Account Request
a) Create a new file account-request.tf:
module "account_request" {
source = "./modules/aft-account-request"
control_tower_parameters = {
AccountEmail = "newaccount@example.com"
AccountName = "New Dev Account"
ManagedOrganizationalUnit = "Sandbox"
SSOUserEmail = "admin@example.com"
SSOUserFirstName = "Admin"
SSOUserLastName = "User"
}
account_tags = {
Environment = "Development"
Owner = "DevTeam"
}
custom_fields = {
ProjectID = "DEV-123"
CostCenter = "CC-456"
}
}
b) Apply the account request:
terraform apply
Step 4: Customize the New Account
a) Create account customizations in aft-account-customizations:
resource "aws_s3_bucket" "example" {
bucket = "my-new-dev-bucket"
acl = "private"
tags = {
Environment = "Development"
Project = var.custom_fields["ProjectID"]
}
}
b) Commit and push your changes to trigger the AFT pipeline
Step 5: Monitor Account Creation
Check the AFT pipeline in AWS CodePipeline
Verify the new account in AWS Control Tower and AWS Organizations
This demo provides a basic implementation of AFT. In a real-world scenario, you would create more complex account structures and customizations based on your organization's needs.
Conclusion
In this final part of our series, we've explored advanced security and compliance features in AWS Control Tower, including different control types, encryption at scale, and the integration with AWS Security Hub. We've also discussed strategies for cost control using Service Control Policies and effective tagging.
The Account Factory for Terraform demo showcased how you can automate and scale your landing zone implementation, bringing infrastructure-as-code practices to your multi-account management strategy.
By leveraging these advanced features and automation capabilities, you can create a secure, compliant, and efficiently managed multi-account AWS environment that can grow and adapt with your organization's needs.
Remember that cloud management is an ongoing process. Regularly review your configurations, stay updated with new AWS features, and continuously refine your approach to meet your organization's evolving requirements.