The top 8 AWS root user account best practices

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has revolutionized the way organizations manage their IT infrastructure and applications. It’s also created a soft pink underbelly for your business — one that can have catastrophic consequences if it’s speared. 

Given that the loss of AWS root control can ruin a business, Contrast Security Chief Information Security Officer David Lindner focused on the importance of securing those precious credentials in his Sept. 22 CISO Insights column: 

“How are you managing your root AWS accounts? Shared account phone numbers? Regionally dispersed hardware MFA? There are many best ways to do this, but do what is best for your organization and protect these credentials more than anything else.”

—David Lindner, Contrast Security CISO

The critical importance of properly managing AWS root accounts

Many organizations rely on AWS for their infrastructure needs. With that vast power comes great responsibility. One of the most critical aspects of AWS management is the handling of root accounts, often referred to as the "God accounts" due to the level of control they offer.

Before delving into the intricacies of root account management, it's essential to grasp the AWS account hierarchy. AWS uses a hierarchical structure that typically starts with a billing or management account. This top-level account has the power to manage multiple AWS accounts underneath it. These sub-accounts can serve various purposes, such as development sandboxes, testing environments or dedicated product accounts.

At Contrast, Dave says, we have an AWS management account from which we control some 50 other AWS accounts for a range of uses: for example, as development sandboxes or for testing. 

Understanding the AWS account hierarchy

Each of these AWS sub-accounts has its own root-level account. However, the most crucial root account is the one associated with the management or billing account. This root account possesses immense power and control over all the sub-accounts under its umbrella.

“There's a root-level account for each one of these accounts,” Dave explains. “And the most important one, obviously, is the root account of the management account. You can take control from that account with all the other ones that are under your billing account.”

“The root account gives you the ability to delete everything,” he emphasizes. “It is God. It is the God account. It is never to be used.”

The almighty root account

What makes the root account so mighty is that, to put it simply, it holds the keys to the kingdom. With root access, you can perform actions like creating, deleting, modifying or moving resources, setting permissions, and much more across your AWS infrastructure. It's the ultimate authority.

However, it's essential to emphasize that AWS itself strongly advises against using the root account for day-to-day operations. There are very few scenarios where accessing the root account is necessary, and even those are decreasing over time, the CISO says: “The reason for this cautionary stance is the immense risk associated with root account access.”

The dangers of root account compromise

Root account compromise can have catastrophic consequences. There have been instances where companies have faced severe setbacks, or even closure, due to malicious activities stemming from a compromised root account. Attackers with access to the root account can wreak havoc by deleting critical resources, including data and infrastructure, pushing the infamous "delete" button that could result in significant losses.

“There are very, very, very few, and even probably zero, things that you should have to log into the root account to do anymore,” Dave emphasizes.” There used to be a few things from billing and some things there that required you to log in with root. But the problem is, it’s the God account. There have been companies that have  gone away because somebody compromised a root account and destroyed everything and pushed the delete button, and everything was gone.”

Best practices for AWS root account management

This is obviously a grave matter. Fortunately, there are best practices for effectively managing AWS root accounts:

1. Never share root account credentials

Root account credentials should never be shared among individuals. In fact, some organizations create root account credentials and then discard them entirely, ensuring that no one has access to them.

2. Delete programmatic access keys

Remove all programmatic access keys associated with root accounts. Root accounts should never use access keys for programmatic access.

3. Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA)

Enabling MFA adds an extra layer of security to the root account. It requires users to provide two or more verification factors before gaining access.

4. Limit root account usage

As mentioned earlier, avoid using the root account for everyday operations. The AWS ecosystem provides extensive IAM (Identity and Access Management) tools for managing permissions and access.

5. Rotate credentials sparingly:

Contrary to common practices, avoid frequent password rotation. Only change credentials when there's a security concern or when someone with access leaves the organization. Otherwise, some users will bypass the chore of creating long, complicated passwords by simply incrementing their passwords. This is when users simply append  a 1 to an old password, and then a 2 when they’re forced to reset their passwords again, and on and on. This greatly decreases the effectiveness of periodic password resets, given that an attacker only needs to recover two old passwords in clear text, spot the pattern and guess a user’s current password.

6. Implement access control

To enhance security, restrict access to root accounts and their credentials. It's advisable to have multiple individuals or roles involved in accessing and managing root accounts.

7. Document and monitor

Keep meticulous records of who has access to root accounts and ensure constant monitoring for any suspicious activities.

8. Plan for disaster recovery

Develop a comprehensive disaster recovery plan that accounts for the loss or compromise of root credentials. Regularly test and update this plan to ensure it's effective.

Conclusion

The proper handling of AWS root accounts is of paramount importance for any organization relying on AWS services. These accounts represent the highest level of control and authority, making them a prime target for attackers. By following best practices such as limiting access, enabling MFA and planning for contingencies, you can significantly reduce the risks associated with root account compromise.

Remember, while AWS provides powerful tools and services, the responsibility for secure account management ultimately rests with the organization. Implementing robust security measures and regularly reviewing and updating your practices is essential for safeguarding your cloud infrastructure and data.

In the ever-evolving world of cloud security, staying vigilant and proactive is the key to protecting your organization's digital assets and ensuring business continuity.

Read more: 

• Contrast Security serves up vulnerability data integrated into AWS Security Hub
• 5 Tips For World Password Day from Cybersecurity Experts
• Contrast Security champions Cybersecurity Awareness Month: #SecureOurWorld