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Glossary Term

Cloud IAM Misconfiguration

Overly permissive cloud roles or forgotten identities give attackers sweeping access once one credential is compromised.

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Cloud IAM Misconfiguration

1-minute read

What it is

Cloud IAM Misconfiguration occurs when cloud user accounts or services are given more access than they actually need.

Why it matters

If one account is compromised, excessive permissions can allow attackers to access large parts of your cloud environment very quickly.

How to reduce risk

  • Limit access to only what is necessary
  • Regularly review cloud permissions
  • Remove unused or overly powerful roles

External resources

  • https://owasp.org/www-project-cloud-native-application-security-top-10/
  • https://docs.aws.amazon.com/IAM/latest/UserGuide/best-practices.html