Terraform Cloud and Abbey for Fearless AWS RBAC

TL;DR

• 🛠Terraform code with AWS Resources can be used to model permissions and access
• ☁ Terraform Cloud makes sure your Terraform code reflects actual permissions
• 😺Abbey makes it easy to to govern access by automating Terraform changes and integrating with Terraform Cloud

Introduction

Managing access to resources in a cloud environment can be a daunting task, especially in large organizations with numerous users and roles. AWS Identity Center provides a robust solution for managing access, but it can be challenging to manage at scale. This is where Terraform Cloud and Abbey come in, providing a streamlined, automated solution for managing access in AWS Identity Center.

Terraform Cloud is a powerful tool for managing infrastructure as code, and when combined with Abbey it can simplify and automate the process of managing access in AWS Identity Center. We've written before about using AWS Identity Center for RBAC. In this blog post, we will explore how to use Terraform Cloud with AWS Identity Center and Abbey.

Using Terraform Cloud with AWS Identity Center

Terraform Cloud is a SaaS application that provides a consistent workflow for managing and provisioning infrastructure. It lets you use your Terraform code as a source of truth, allowing you to define and provide data center infrastructure. This makes it an excellent tool for managing AWS Identity Center, where you can define users, groups, and permissions as code and use Terraform Cloud to make changes.

To use Terraform Cloud with AWS Identity Center, you first need to define your AWS resources in Terraform. This includes your users, groups, and the permissions associated with each group. If you want guidelines, look at our previous post about RBAC using AWS Identity Center. Once you have defined these resources, you can use Terraform Cloud to apply these changes. Terraform Cloud provides a centralized workspace where you can collaborate with your team, manage your Terraform runs, and maintain a history of all changes.

Integrating Abbey with Terraform Cloud and AWS Identity Center

Terraform Cloud provides a powerful tool for managing AWS Identity Center. But we need a solution for access governance, making sure engineers have the access they need scoped properly. This is where Abbey comes in. Abbey is an Access Governance Platform that uses Terraform and TACOS to manage access. It simplifies the process of managing access by enabling Just-in-Time (JIT) membership in AWS Identity Center groups. Abbey also supports other access policies, letting you use attributes or roles to govern access.

Abbey decreases friction when trying to request access to resources. When a user needs access to a resource, they can request it through Abbey, and Abbey will automatically grant them the necessary permissions. Once the user no longer needs access, Abbey will automatically remove them from the group, ensuring that they don't retain unnecessary access. Terraform Cloud kicks in and makes sure these committed changes reflect in your infrastructure. Now you have audit logs powered by git commits through Abbey, a source of truth for your access and infrastructure through Terraform, and confidence that this all matches up thanks to Terraform Cloud

Benefits of Using Terraform Cloud with AWS Identity Center atop Abbey

Using Terraform Cloud with AWS Identity Center atop Abbey provides several benefits:

1. Streamlined Access Management: With Terraform Cloud and Abbey, you can manage access in AWS Identity Center as code, making it easier to manage at scale.

2. Automated Access Provisioning and De-provisioning: Abbey automates the process of granting and revoking access, reducing the administrative overhead associated with managing access. Terraform Cloud reflects all code changes as infrastructure changes.

3. Improved Security: By enforcing access policies, Abbey ensures that users only have access to the resources they need when they need them, reducing the risk of unauthorized access.

4. Enhanced Collaboration: Terraform Cloud provides a centralized workspace where you can collaborate with your team, making it easier to manage access across your organization.

Conclusion

Managing access in AWS Identity Center can be a complex task, but with the right tools, it can be much simpler. By using Terraform Cloud with AWS Identity Center atop Abbey, you can streamline your access management process, improve security, and enhance collaboration across your team. Whether you're a small business or a large enterprise, these tools can give you the conifence you manage access efficiently and more effectively.