IAM or Identity and Access Management enables AWS customers to manage user access and permissions. It is important to configure IAM properly by deleting root access keys, enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) on the root account using an MFA device or Google Authenticator app, and creating individual IAM users to apply necessary permissions and enforce a password policy for security. MFA provides an additional layer of security by requiring a randomly generated one-time code in addition to a username and password when logging into an AWS account.

1. WHAT IS IAM?

2. IAM or Identity and
Access Management is
a web service

3. that enables Amazon
Web Services
customers to manage
users

4. and user permissions
in AWS.

5. This is where you
manage your AWS

6. users and their access
to AWS accounts

7. and services.

8. HOW TO
CONFIGURE IAM?

9. Note: The root user is
the user created

10. when you created an
AWS account.

11. Also, when you
created an AWS
account

12. It is advised to
complete the task.

13. TASKS INCLUDE the
following:

14. • Delete your root
access keys

15. • Activate MFA on
your root account

16. • Create individual
IAM users

17. • Use groups to
assign permissions

18. • Apply an IAM
password policy

19. ACTIVATE AND
CONFIGURE MFA
ON YOUR ROOT
ACOUNT

20. Use the MFA device
when you log in to or
access AWS resources

21. To access an AWS
website, you need an

22. MFA code from the
device in addition

23. to the usual user name
and password.

24. But what is MFA?

25. MFA is an abbreviation
for Multi-Factor
Authentication

26. It is an additional layer of
security

27. that is provided by a 3rd
party.

28. it takes the form of a
continually-changing,

29. random six digit code
that you will

30. need to input when
logging in your root
account.

31. To get the MFA code
you need

32. a smartphone or tablet
and

33. and commonly used
app, the Google
Authenticator.

34. How to configure MFA

35. Assuming that you have
created already an AWS
Account.

36. Go to your console
home click this icon

37. This will appear

38. Point and click your
mouse here on IAM

39. This will appear

40. Point and click here

41. This will appear

42. Click here

43. Choose virtual MFA
device

44. Click on next step

45. This will appear

46. Follow the instruction
and click on next

47. Follow the instruction
and click on next

48. Follow the instruction
and click on next

49. This will appear

50. Snap the code using your
smartphone’s camerra

51. Enter the two consecutive
authentication codes below:

52. Then activate virtual MFA

53. This will appear

54. Click finish

55. Click here to refresh

56. You will see that MFA is
already activated.

57. Next will be how to create
an individual IAM users