Misconfiguration of Cloud-Hosted Virtual Machines¶
Cloud-hosted virtual machines (VMs) are an essential part of modern infrastructure. However, misconfigurations can lead to significant security vulnerabilities. This document provides a detailed guide to understanding and preventing misconfigurations in virtual machines hosted on AWS, GCP, and Azure.
General Best Practices for VM Security¶
1. Access Control¶
-
Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP): Ensure users and services have only the permissions they need.
-
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Require MFA for all accounts accessing the cloud environment.
-
Identity Federation: Integrate with centralized IAM solutions for streamlined and secure access.
2. Network Security¶
-
Restrict Traffic: Limit ingress and egress traffic using firewalls or security groups.
-
Use Bastion Hosts: Restrict direct SSH/RDP access to VMs; use Bastion hosts for controlled access.
-
Disable Unused Ports: Regularly review and close unnecessary ports to minimize attack surfaces.
3. Patch Management¶
-
Regularly update the operating system and install software to address known vulnerabilities.
-
Use automated patch management tools to streamline updates.
4. Encryption¶
-
Use encryption for data at rest and in transit.
-
Ensure VM disks, backup files, and snapshots are encrypted.
5. Monitoring and Logging¶
-
Enable detailed logging for VM activities.
-
Use centralized logging services to analyze logs and detect anomalies.
-
Set up alerts for unauthorized access or changes to configurations.