Introduction to AWS Config
AWS Config is a service that enables you to assess, audit, and evaluate the configurations of your AWS resources. It continuously monitors and records your AWS resource configurations and allows you to automate the evaluation of recorded configurations against desired configurations.
Key Concepts
-
Configuration Item (CI):
- A record of the configuration of a resource at a given point in time.
- Contains metadata, relationships, and configuration details.
-
Configuration Recorder:
- Captures the configuration changes of supported resources.
- Can be set to record all supported resources or specific resource types.
-
Configuration Snapshot:
- A collection of configuration items for the supported resources in your account.
- Provides a point-in-time view of your resources.
-
Configuration History:
- A collection of configuration items for a resource over a period of time.
- Useful for auditing and troubleshooting.
-
Rules:
- Custom or managed rules that AWS Config uses to evaluate whether your AWS resource configurations comply with your desired settings.
- Can be triggered by configuration changes or periodically.
-
Compliance:
- The status of a resource in relation to a rule (compliant or non-compliant).
Setting Up AWS Config
-
Enable AWS Config:
- Go to the AWS Management Console.
- Navigate to the AWS Config service.
- Click on "Get started" and follow the setup wizard.
-
Select Resources to Record:
- Choose whether to record all supported resources or specific resource types.
- Example: EC2 instances, S3 buckets, IAM roles, etc.
-
Set Up Delivery Channel:
- Specify an S3 bucket to store configuration snapshots and history.
- Optionally, configure an SNS topic to receive notifications about configuration changes.
-
Create Rules:
- Choose from AWS managed rules or create custom rules using AWS Lambda.
- Example: Ensure S3 buckets are not publicly accessible.
Practical Example
Enabling AWS Config for EC2 Instances
import boto3
# Initialize a session using Amazon EC2
session = boto3.Session(
aws_access_key_id='YOUR_ACCESS_KEY',
aws_secret_access_key='YOUR_SECRET_KEY',
region_name='us-west-2'
)
# Initialize the AWS Config client
config_client = session.client('config')
# Create a configuration recorder
config_client.put_configuration_recorder(
ConfigurationRecorder={
'name': 'default',
'roleARN': 'arn:aws:iam::YOUR_ACCOUNT_ID:role/service-role/AWSConfigRole',
'recordingGroup': {
'allSupported': True,
'includeGlobalResourceTypes': False,
'resourceTypes': [
'AWS::EC2::Instance',
]
}
}
)
# Start the configuration recorder
config_client.start_configuration_recorder(
ConfigurationRecorderName='default'
)Practical Exercise
Exercise: Create a Rule to Check for Publicly Accessible S3 Buckets
-
Create a Managed Rule:
- Go to the AWS Config console.
- Click on "Rules" and then "Add rule".
- Search for the managed rule
s3-bucket-public-read-prohibited. - Configure the rule and specify the S3 buckets to evaluate.
-
Verify Compliance:
- After the rule is created, AWS Config will evaluate your S3 buckets.
- Check the compliance status in the AWS Config console.
Solution
import boto3
# Initialize a session using Amazon S3
session = boto3.Session(
aws_access_key_id='YOUR_ACCESS_KEY',
aws_secret_access_key='YOUR_SECRET_KEY',
region_name='us-west-2'
)
# Initialize the AWS Config client
config_client = session.client('config')
# Create a managed rule for S3 bucket public read access
config_client.put_config_rule(
ConfigRule={
'ConfigRuleName': 's3-bucket-public-read-prohibited',
'Source': {
'Owner': 'AWS',
'SourceIdentifier': 'S3_BUCKET_PUBLIC_READ_PROHIBITED'
},
'Scope': {
'ComplianceResourceTypes': [
'AWS::S3::Bucket',
]
}
}
)Common Mistakes and Tips
- IAM Role Permissions: Ensure the IAM role used by AWS Config has the necessary permissions to record configurations and deliver them to the specified S3 bucket.
- Resource Types: Be specific about the resource types you want to record to avoid unnecessary costs and data.
- Rule Evaluation: Regularly review and update your rules to align with your compliance requirements.
Conclusion
AWS Config is a powerful tool for maintaining compliance and auditing your AWS resources. By continuously monitoring and recording configurations, AWS Config helps you ensure that your resources adhere to your desired configurations. In this section, you learned how to set up AWS Config, create rules, and verify compliance. In the next module, we will explore Amazon CloudWatch for monitoring and managing your AWS resources.