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iam-2-2-admin

Summary from aclouduser video

Based on the detailed transcript of the Identity and Access Management Deep Dive lesson, here are the top 10 key points:

  1. Objective of Creating Admin Group and User:

    • The main goal is to create an administrative group and user in IAM, allowing for the root account to be securely locked away.

  2. Role of Groups in IAM:

    • Groups in IAM are used to collect users under certain permission sets. However, the group itself does not grant any permissions unless a policy is attached to it.

  3. Attaching Policies to Groups:

    • Admin permissions are granted by attaching the AdministratorAccess policy to the newly created admin group. This step is crucial for giving the group its administrative capabilities.

  4. Creating an IAM User:

    • A new IAM user is created and is initially just a generic user. The user gains admin privileges only after being added to the admin group with the attached admin policy.

  5. Importance of the AdministratorAccess Policy:

    • The AdministratorAccess policy is key in this setup as it allows all actions on all AWS resources, which is typically what an administrator needs.

  6. Steps to Create an Admin User:

    • The process involves creating a user, adding them to the admin group, and ensuring they have both Management Console and programmatic access.

  7. Management Console and Programmatic Access:

    • The admin user is given both Management Console access (requiring a password) and programmatic access (requiring an Access Key ID and Secret Access Key).

  8. Downloading Access Keys:

    • Upon creating an IAM user with programmatic access, it's essential to download and securely store the Access Key ID and Secret Access Key for future use.

  9. Verification of IAM Setup:

    • After the setup is complete, logging into the AWS Management Console using the new admin user's credentials is recommended to ensure that the setup was successful.

  10. Locking Away the Root Account:

  • The concept of "locking away" the root account involves using a hardware MFA device or deliberately not recording the root account's password. The root account should only be used sparingly, with administrative tasks delegated to the IAM admin users.

These points emphasize the importance of properly setting up IAM for security and management best practices in AWS, including the creation and use of groups, policies, and users, as well as the secure handling of access credentials.