Concepts
Understanding the Shared Responsibility Model
The shared responsibility model is based on the idea that the security and compliance of the cloud are a shared task between AWS and the customer. AWS is responsible for protecting the infrastructure that runs all the services offered in the AWS Cloud. This infrastructure is composed of the hardware, software, networking, and facilities that run AWS Cloud services.
On the other side of the equation, the customer’s responsibility is determined by the AWS Cloud services that they select. This determines the amount of configuration effort the customer must perform as part of their security responsibilities.
Here is a basic outline of the shared responsibilities:
- AWS Responsibilities: “Security of the Cloud”
- Infrastructure
- Data centers
- Networking
- Hardware
- Database and storage systems
- Customer Responsibilities: “Security in the Cloud”
- Customer data
- Platform, applications, identity and access management
- Operating system, network, and firewall configuration
- Client-side data encryption and data integrity authentication
- Server-side encryption (file system and/or data)
- Networking traffic protection (encryption, integrity, identity)
Breaking Down AWS Responsibilities
AWS takes responsibility for the components of the cloud that it controls, such as:
- Global Infrastructure: AWS ensures its global network of data centers are secure by maintaining physical security and integrity, including environmental controls and power systems.
- Hardware and Software: AWS manages the hardware that supports Cloud infrastructure as well as the virtualization layer.
- Networking: Security for the cloud is assured through the management of network architecture, including partitioning and zoning.
- Managed Services: For managed services like Amazon RDS or AWS Lambda, AWS handles the base-level security of the service itself.
Breaking Down Customer Responsibilities
Customers must manage and configure their use of AWS services and resources effectively. This includes:
- Data Security: Customers are responsible for their data’s security, which includes encryption options and data integrity checks.
- Identity and Access: Implementing proper identity and access management policies using services like AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM).
- Operating Systems and Network Configuration: Customers are expected to manage their guest operating systems, including updates and security patches, as well as configure their VPC and firewall settings.
- Application Security: Those who build applications on AWS are responsible for the application-level security, including updates to the application and managing the application’s credentials.
Examples for Clarity
Consider an example involving AWS EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud). When a customer launches an instance:
- AWS side: Provides infrastructure, physical security of data-center, networking functionalities up to the virtual network interface, and the hypervisor managing the virtual instances.
- Customer side: Responsible for managing the guest operating system (including updates and security), instance’s firewall (security group), and IAM roles associated with EC2 to control access.
In another instance, if a customer is using a managed database service like Amazon RDS:
- AWS side: Responsible for the database infrastructure, ensuring the underlying hardware is functioning, and the data is replicated for durability, performing backups, and patching database software.
- Customer side: In charge of setting up an appropriate instance class, configuring the database (including its security group parameters), managing credentials, and data encryption at rest and in transit.
Conclusion
Understanding the AWS shared responsibility model’s delineation of duties is fundamental for ensuring the security and compliance of cloud-hosting environments. As the AWS cloud evolves, so too may the shared responsibility model, but the core principle remains: AWS secures the cloud infrastructure, while customers secure their data in the cloud.
For AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner candidates, mastering this concept is crucial, as it highlights the importance of security and the various roles AWS and customers play in maintaining it.
The exam may include scenarios asking the candidate to identify whether a specific security concern falls under AWS’s responsibilities or the customer’s. It is important to remember that while AWS provides the tools and services to enable a secure environment, it is ultimately the customer’s responsibility to configure and manage these tools effectively.
Answer the Questions in Comment Section
True or False: Under the AWS shared responsibility model, AWS is responsible for the physical security of data centers.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: A) True
Explanation: AWS is responsible for the security of the cloud infrastructure, including the physical security of data centers where services run.
Who is responsible for managing user access within an AWS environment?
- A) AWS only
- B) The customer only
- C) Both AWS and the customer
- D) Neither AWS nor the customer
Answer: B) The customer only
Explanation: Under the AWS shared responsibility model, the customer is responsible for managing access to their AWS resources, which includes user access management.
True or False: The AWS shared responsibility model indicates that AWS manages the encryption of data within its services by default.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: B) False
Explanation: While AWS provides the means to encrypt data, it is the customer’s responsibility to manage data encryption within their services, unless encryption is part of a managed service.
Which of these is AWS responsible for under the Shared Responsibility Model?
- A) Configuring firewalls
- B) Patching guest OS
- C) Maintaining data center facilities
- D) Installing updates on user-managed EC2 instances
Answer: C) Maintaining data center facilities
Explanation: AWS is responsible for the infrastructure layer, which includes maintaining data center facilities. Customers are responsible for managing their guest OS, including the configuration of firewalls and installation of updates.
The customer is responsible for which of the following under AWS’s shared responsibility model?
- A) Physical security of data centers
- B) Environmental controls within data centers
- C) Network infrastructure
- D) Data encryption at rest and in transit
Answer: D) Data encryption at rest and in transit
Explanation: Customers are responsible for implementing and managing data encryption at rest and in transit as part of their security in the cloud.
True or False: AWS is solely responsible for securing the infrastructure that runs all of the services offered in the AWS Cloud.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: A) True
Explanation: Under the shared responsibility model, AWS is responsible for protecting the infrastructure that runs AWS services in the cloud.
Which aspect of security is the customer NOT responsible for in the AWS shared responsibility model?
- A) Security in the cloud
- B) Security of the cloud
- C) Configuration management
- D) Network access control lists (ACLs)
Answer: B) Security of the cloud
Explanation: AWS is responsible for “security of the cloud,” which includes components like data center physical security, while customers are responsible for “security in the cloud.”
Who is responsible for compliance with specific regulations and privacy laws in the AWS environment?
- A) AWS only
- B) The customer only
- C) Both AWS and the customer
- D) Third-party auditors only
Answer: C) Both AWS and the customer
Explanation: Compliance is a shared responsibility. AWS ensures the infrastructure is compliant, while customers are responsible for ensuring their use of AWS services meets relevant compliance requirements.
In the event of a security breach due to misconfigured IAM roles, who is at fault according to the AWS shared responsibility model?
- A) IAM service
- B) The customer
- C) AWS data center personnel
- D) The third-party software running on AWS
Answer: B) The customer
Explanation: The customer is responsible for their IAM roles and policies. If a breach occurs due to a misconfiguration, it falls under “security in the cloud,” which is the customer’s responsibility.
True or False: AWS ensures the security of operating systems and applications on EC2 instances.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: B) False
Explanation: While AWS provides the secure infrastructure for EC2 instances, customers are responsible for the security management of their operating systems and applications running on the instances.
Which of the following AWS services operate under the shared responsibility model, with the customer being responsible for certain aspects of security?
- A) AWS Lambda
- B) Amazon RDS
- C) Amazon S3
- D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
Explanation: All AWS services operate under the shared responsibility model, where AWS is responsible for the infrastructure layer, and the customer is responsible for managing the data and applications, as well as certain security configurations.
True or False: Under the AWS shared responsibility model, AWS is responsible for securing user data.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: B) False
Explanation: AWS provides the infrastructure and services that help secure user data, but ultimately, the onus is on the customer to properly configure those services and protect their data.
Great post on recognizing the components of the AWS shared responsibility model!
Great blog post! Can someone explain the AWS shared responsibility model in more detail?
Appreciate the detailed post. It really helped clarify some concepts!
Can someone elaborate on what ‘security of the cloud’ exactly means?
This content is really useful for the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam. Thanks for sharing!
I still find it confusing to identify what exactly falls under customer responsibility. Any real-world examples?
Thanks for this post. It cleared up a lot of questions I had.
Is logging and monitoring an AWS responsibility or a customer responsibility?