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Section 05: Compute Application Security

Core Principles of Compute Security​

Securing compute applications in AWS requires adherence to these fundamental principles:

  • Secure Configuration: Harden operating systems and application environments
  • Identity and Access Management: Enforce least privilege for users and services
  • Network Isolation: Segment and protect network traffic
  • Threat Detection: Monitor for suspicious activity and vulnerabilities
  • Patch Management: Keep systems updated with the latest security patches
  • Audit and Logging: Track and review all activities for forensic analysis

AWS Compute Services and Security Features​

Amazon EC2 Security​

Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) security involves multiple layers:

  • Instance Isolation: Hypervisor-level isolation between instances
  • Security Groups: Stateful firewall for controlling inbound/outbound traffic
  • IAM Roles: Temporary credentials for EC2 instances to access AWS services
  • OS Hardening: Use of Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) with security baselines

AWS Lambda Security​

AWS Lambda provides serverless compute with built-in security features:

  • Execution Isolation: Functions run in isolated environments
  • IAM Permissions: Fine-grained control over function permissions
  • VPC Integration: Run functions within a Virtual Private Cloud for network isolation
  • Code Signing: Verify the integrity of function code using AWS Signer

Amazon ECS and EKS Security​

Containerized applications on Amazon Elastic Container Service (ECS) and Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) require specific security measures:

  • Task/Cluster Isolation: Segregate workloads using IAM roles and namespaces
  • Container Hardening: Use minimal base images and scan for vulnerabilities
  • Network Policies: Enforce traffic rules within clusters
  • Secrets Management: Securely store and access sensitive data with AWS Secrets Manager

Network Security for Compute Applications​

Protecting compute applications at the network level is critical:

  • VPC Configuration: Use private subnets and restrict public access
  • Security Groups and NACLs: Implement fine-grained access controls
  • AWS WAF: Protect web applications from common exploits
  • AWS Shield: Mitigate DDoS attacks with automated protection

Government and Classified Environment Considerations​

Government workloads on AWS compute services require additional safeguards:

  • Compliance Standards: Adherence to FedRAMP, DoD SRG, and NIST SP 800-53
  • GovCloud Regions: Deploy in isolated regions for sensitive workloads
  • Enhanced IAM Policies: Restrict access based on classification levels
  • Audit and Monitoring: Use CloudTrail and Config for continuous compliance checks
  • Data Sensitivity: Enforce strict data handling and encryption policies

Best Practices for Compute Application Security​

  • Automate Security Configurations: Use AWS Systems Manager for consistent hardening
  • Enforce Least Privilege: Limit permissions with IAM policies and roles
  • Regular Vulnerability Scanning: Use Amazon Inspector to identify risks
  • Implement Network Segmentation: Isolate workloads using VPCs and subnets
  • Continuous Monitoring: Leverage GuardDuty for threat detection
  • Incident Response Planning: Prepare playbooks for security incidents
  • Secure Development Lifecycle: Integrate security into CI/CD pipelines