How to Find Unused AWS IAM Access Keys for Users with Configured Passwords
The AWS Console defaults to creating access keys during user setup, resulting in the unnecessary generation of access keys.
In addition to unnecessary credentials, it also generates unnecessary management work in auditing and rotating these keys.
Requiring that additional steps be taken by the user after their profile has been created will give a stronger indication of intent that (a) access keys are necessary for their work and (b) established keys are actually used.
This security check is part of the CIS Amazon Web Services Benchmarks and is rated severity medium.
Prerequisites
This guide assumes that you have already installed and configured Fix Inventory to collect your AWS resources.
Directions
-
Execute the following
search
command in Fix Inventory Shell:> search is(aws_iam_access_key) and access_key_status=="Active" and access_key_last_used.last_used==null and /ancestors.aws_iam_user.reported.password_enabled==true
kind=aws_iam_access_key, ..., region=fixinventory-poweruser
kind=aws_iam_access_key, ..., account=poweruser-team -
Pipe the
search
command into thedump
command:> search is(aws_iam_access_key) and access_key_status=="Active" and access_key_last_used.last_used==null and /ancestors.aws_iam_user.reported.password_enabled==true | dump
reported:
id: /aws/iam/123
name: some-name
ctime: '2022-12-05T22:53:14Z'
kind: aws_iam_access_key
age: 2mo28dThe command output will list the details of all non-compliant
aws_iam_access_key
resources.
Remediation
- Delete all matching access keys that have been reported.
- Ensure to uncheck the setting that creates access keys by default during the initial user setup.
Please refer to the AWS IAM documentation for details.