# Application configuration and credentials security in AWS > Securing application configuration and credentials is vital for both the functioning of the application and controlling access to it BlowStack blog, published 2024-01-18, updated 2024-01-19, 10 min read. Page: https://blowstack.com/blog/application-configuration-and-credentials-security-in-aws Applications, services, or serverless functions typically require configurations and credentials for accessing various resources. These resources can include cloud service settings, framework configurations, database connections, API access, cloud service access, email provider access, and more. Ensuring the secure handling of these parameters is crucial for maintaining the proper operation and data security of the application. Often, exposing these variables can inadvertently reveal information about potential vulnerabilities or provide access to protected resources. This issue became so prevalent that GitHub initiated a program to scan all public repositories for hardcoded credentials, aiding developers in protecting their applications. AWS offers an extensive array of solutions for securely managing application configurations and credentials. Additionally, AWS provides a comprehensive suite of [security best practices](https://blowstack.com/blog/aws-security-best-practices) to assist in this endeavor ## Application configuration vs application credentials At first glance, they appear similar. Indeed, there is some overlap, but they also concentrate on different aspects of securing applications in AWS. ## **Application configuration security - overview** Application configuration concentrates on settings and parameters that are responsible for how applications operates in AWS services like EC2, RDS, S3, CloudFront and so on. Application configuration includes environmental variables, application settings, network configuration and resource specification. The primary goal is to ensure that the application behaves as expected and that its interactions with other AWS services are secure. The main services involved in application configurations are CloudFormation, AWS Config, AWS Systems Manager, AWS Secrets Manager, AWS Key Management Service, VPC, IAM, AWS CodePipeline and AWS CodeDeploy**.** ## **Application configuration security - best practices** The following points are best practices and examples how to utilize AWS servives for securely handling application configuration: - Using services like **AWS Secrets Manager** and **AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store** to securely store and manage sensitive configuration - Ensuring that sensitive data is encrypted in transit and at rest - Implementing least privilege access using AWS Identity and Access Management (**IAM**) to ensure that only authorized users and services have access to configuration data - Separating environments (development, staging, production) to prevent accidental or unauthorized access to sensitive resources. This can be achieved by using **CloudFormation** or AWS CodePipeline/ AWS CodeBuild - Using different AWS accounts or Virtual Private Clouds (**VPCs**) for different environments - Encrypting sensitive data using AWS Key Management Service (**KMS**) and ensuring that all data in transit is encrypted, typically using **TLS/SSL** - Utilizing **AWS Config**, **AWS** **CloudTrail** and A**mazon CloudWatch** to monitor and log access and changes to application configurations and AWS resources - Using tools like AWS Config and **AWS Trusted Advisor** to audit and ensure compliance with organizational policies and industry standards - Regularly backing up configurations and using AWS features for disaster recovery to restore configurations in case of data loss or corruption - Ensuring secure deployment pipelines in AWS, possibly using services like **AWS CodePipeline** and **AWS CodeDeploy** - implementing processes for secure code deployment, including review and approval of changes - Keeping the application and its dependencies up-to-date with the latest security patches and updates ## **Application credentials security - overview** Application credential security in AWS refers to the practices and measures specifically focused on protecting the credentials that applications use to authenticate and interact with AWS services and resources. These credentials include AWS Access Keys, Secret Access Keys, IAM roles, database passwords, API keys, and other types of authentication tokens. The primary goal is to prevent unauthorized access to AWS resources, which could lead to data breaches, service disruptions, or other security incidents ## **Application credentials security - best practices** The following points are best practices and examples how to utilize AWS services for securely handling application credentials: - Generally avoid using access keys (the keys consists of access key id and secret access key) which are by nature long-term, instead use roles utilizing **short-term access** - Avoiding the hardcoding of credentials in application code or scripts. Instead, use **IAM roles** or environment variables for passing credentials securely - Assigning IAM roles to AWS services like EC2 instances or Lambda functions, allowing these services to interact with other AWS resources securely - Creating and managing IAM roles with **the principle of least privilege**, granting only the necessary permissions for a task - Using IAM policies to restrict which users and services can access certain credentials. Policies can define **conditions for access**, such as time of day or requiring MFA. - Using **AWS Secrets Manager** to securely store, rotate, and manage access to secrets such as database credentials, API keys, and OAuth tokens - Alternatively, using **AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store** for managing configuration data, which can also store sensitive information securely - Implementing regular **rotation of credentials** to reduce the risk of compromised credentials being used for unauthorized access. AWS Secrets Manager can automate the rotation process for AWS resources - Encrypting sensitive credentials using AWS Key Management Service (**KMS**) both in transit and at rest - Enabling **AWS CloudTrail** to log and monitor API calls and access to AWS resources, providing an audit trail for investigating security incidents ## References [AWS security credentials](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/IAM/latest/UserGuide/security-creds.html) [Managing access keys for IAM users](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/IAM/latest/UserGuide/id_credentials_access-keys.html) [AWS security credentials](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/IAM/latest/UserGuide/security-creds.html) [The Security Pillar of the AWS Well-Architected Framework](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/wellarchitected/latest/security-pillar/welcome.html) --- BlowStack: AWS practice exams and courses, https://blowstack.com/practice-exams