Regularly reviewing and cleaning up access policies in your IBM Cloud account is essential for enhancing security. Access policies in IBM Cloud specify what access is granted to whom for which resources. This article provides an overview of different types of access policies in IBM Cloud and guides you on how to identify and remove unused policies for improved security.

Overview: Access policies

IBM Cloud Identity and Access Management (IAM) uses access policies to determine who has access to specific resources. There are two types of access policies: authorization policies and access policies.

• Authorization policies grant one service access to another service for specific tasks.
• Access policies determine resource access for individuals or groups, granting privileges such as read or write access to specific resources.

Policies can be scoped narrowly or generically, depending on the level of access required. They can also include time-based restrictions for enhanced security.

Identifying unused access policies

IBM Cloud provides tools to help you audit and identify inactive access policies. The IBM Cloud console lists policies that have been inactive for 30 days or longer. Alternatively, you can use the IAM Policy Management API to retrieve all policies and include the “last-permit” attributes in the results.

The IBM Cloud offers a Python tool available on GitHub that simplifies interaction with the IAM Policy Management API and allows for filtering and data output in JSON or CSV format.

Managing inactive policies

Once you have identified inactive policies, it’s important to review and manage them. Check the type and role of privileges granted and ensure they follow the principle of least privilege. Delete policies that are no longer needed and consider adding time-based restrictions to infrequently used policies.

It’s crucial to investigate policies that have never been used to understand their purpose and whether they should be kept or deleted.

Conclusions

Regularly auditing and removing unused access policies is crucial for maintaining a secure IBM Cloud environment. By operating with the least set of privileges, you can enhance security and protect your resources.

FAQs

1. Why is it important to remove unused access policies?

Unused access policies pose a security risk as they can potentially grant unnecessary access to resources. By removing these policies, you reduce the attack surface and enhance the overall security of your cloud environment.

2. How can I identify inactive access policies in IBM Cloud?

You can use the IBM Cloud console or the IAM Policy Management API to identify inactive access policies. The console lists policies inactive for 30 days or longer, while the API allows you to retrieve all policies and include the “last-permit” attributes in the results.

3. What can I do with inactive access policies?

Once you have identified inactive access policies, you should review their type, role, and privileges granted. Remove any policies that are no longer needed and adjust privileges based on the principle of least privilege. Additionally, consider adding time-based restrictions for infrequently used policies.

4. Can I automate the process of removing unused access policies?

Yes, it is possible to automate the process of removing unused access policies using the IAM Policy Management API and scripting tools. By scripting the deletion process, you can regularly review and remove unused policies to maintain a clean and secure cloud environment.

Sources:
– IBM Cloud Blog: https://www.ibm.com/blogs/security/ibm-cloud-security-how-to-clean-up-unused-access-policies/