More Info:

Certificates should not be tied with root accounts.

Risk Level

High

Address

Security

Compliance Standards

PCIDSS

Triage and Remediation

How to Prevent

To prevent certificates from being tied to the root account in AWS IAM using the AWS Management Console, follow these steps:

  1. Create an IAM User for Certificate Management:

    • Navigate to the IAM Dashboard in the AWS Management Console.
    • Click on “Users” in the left-hand menu.
    • Click the “Add user” button.
    • Enter a username and select “Programmatic access” for access type.
    • Click “Next: Permissions” and attach the necessary policies for certificate management (e.g., AWSCertificateManagerFullAccess).
  2. Generate and Use Certificates with IAM User:

    • Ensure that any new certificates are generated and managed using the IAM user created specifically for this purpose.
    • Navigate to the AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) in the AWS Management Console.
    • Use the IAM user credentials to request and manage certificates.
  3. Review and Remove Root Account Certificates:

    • Navigate to the IAM Dashboard.
    • Click on “Users” and select the root account.
    • Check for any certificates associated with the root account and remove them if found.
  4. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for Root Account:

    • Navigate to the IAM Dashboard.
    • Click on “Dashboard” in the left-hand menu.
    • Under “Security Status,” find “Activate MFA on your root account” and follow the steps to enable MFA.
    • This adds an additional layer of security, ensuring that the root account is not used for day-to-day operations, including certificate management.

By following these steps, you can ensure that certificates are not tied to the root account, enhancing the security of your AWS environment.

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