Comprehensive Guide to AWS IAM: Creating Users, Roles, Groups, and Assigning Policies

Comprehensive Guide to AWS IAM: Creating Users, Roles, Groups, and Assigning Policies

Introduction

Amazon Web Services (AWS) Identity and Access Management (IAM) is a powerful service that allows you to manage access to AWS resources securely. IAM enables you to create and control AWS users, roles, and groups, defining their permissions through policies. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk through the process of creating users, roles, and groups in AWS IAM, and explore how to assign policies to them.

1. Understanding AWS IAM Components🤔

Before diving into the creation process, it's essential to understand the basic components of AWS IAM:

  • User: An individual AWS account holder or a system/process that interacts with AWS resources.

  • Role: An AWS IAM identity with policies that determine the permissions it has and what it can and cannot do in AWS.

  • Group: A collection of IAM users. Policies attached to a group apply to all users in the group.

  • Policy: A document that defines permissions. It can be attached to users, groups, or roles.

2. Creating an IAM User🧑‍💻

Follow these steps to create an IAM user:

Step 1: Sign in to the AWS Management Console

Go to the AWS Management Console and sign in to your AWS account.

Step 2: Navigate to IAM

You can see the Dashboard like this:

Step 3: Access the Users Page

In the IAM dashboard, click on "Users" in the left navigation pane.

Step 4: Add User

Click "Add user" to begin creating a new user.

Step 5: Enter User Details

Provide a username for the new user.

Step 6: Set Permissions

In the permissions step, you can either add the user to an existing group, attach policies directly, or skip this step to add permissions later. (I have given EC2 full access)

Step 7: Review and Create

Review your configuration, and click "Create user" to complete the process.

Step 8: See the User Details

3. Creating an IAM Role🦸‍♂️

Step 1: Navigate to Roles

In the IAM dashboard, select "Roles" from the left navigation pane.

Step 2: Create Role

Click "Create role" to start the role-creation process

Step 3: Choose the Use Case

Select the use case that best fits your scenario, such as AWS service, Lambda, or EC2.

Step 4: Set Permissions

Attach policies that define what actions the role can perform.

Step 5: Configure Tags (Optional)

Add tags for better organization and management.

Step 6: Review and Create

Review your configuration and click "Create role."

Congratulations your IAM Role is created, you can see it.

4. Creating an IAM Group👥

Creating an IAM group consolidates permissions for multiple users:

Step 1: Navigate to Groups

In the IAM dashboard, choose "Groups" from the left navigation pane.

Step 2: Create Group

Click "Create group" to initiate the group creation process.

Step 3: Add Users

Select users to add to the group. Group permissions will apply to all members.

Step 4: Attach Policies

Associate policies that define group permissions.

Step 5: Review and Create

Review the group details and click "Create group." Then you can see your group is created Successfully.

Conclusion

Effectively managing access to AWS resources is a critical aspect of maintaining a secure and well-organized cloud environment. By understanding how to create users, roles, and groups in AWS IAM, and by assigning appropriate policies, you can ensure that your organization's resources are accessed only by authorized entities, promoting both security and compliance. Regularly review and update permissions to align with the evolving needs of your AWS infrastructure.