How to Set Up AWS Config for Policy as Code

Setting up AWS Config for Policy as Code involves several best practices to ensure effective governance, compliance, and security.

Here are our AllCode key recommendations:

1. Enable AWS Config in All Accounts and Regions: Ensure AWS Config is enabled across all your AWS accounts and regions to maintain a comprehensive view of your resource configurationshttps://aws.amazon.com/blogs/mt/aws-config-best-practices/.
2. Record Configuration Changes for All Resource Types: Configure AWS Config to record changes for all supported resource types. This helps in maintaining a complete history of configuration changes, https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/mt/aws-config-best-practices/.
3. Centralize Configuration Data: Use a secure Amazon S3 bucket to collect configuration history and snapshot files. Ensure that this bucket is properly secured and access-controlled
4. Implement AWS Config Rules: Define and implement AWS Config rules to enforce your organization’s operational and security policies. These rules can automatically evaluate whether your resources comply with the desired configurations
5. Automate Remediation: Set up automatic remediation for non-compliant resources using AWS Systems Manager Automation or Lambda functions. This ensures that any deviations from the desired state are corrected promptly
6. Use Service Control Policies (SCPs): Apply SCPs in AWS Organizations to enforce compliance and prevent changes to critical configurations. This helps in maintaining a consistent security posture across all accounts
7. Integrate with CI/CD Pipelines: Integrate AWS Config with your CI/CD pipelines to perform static policy checks before deploying infrastructure changes. This helps in catching misconfigurations early in the development process.
8. Monitor and Alert: Set up monitoring and alerting for configuration changes using Amazon CloudWatch and SNS. This ensures that you are promptly notified of any significant changes
9. Regular Audits and Reviews: Conduct regular audits and reviews of your AWS Config setup and rules to ensure they remain effective and up-to-date with your organization’s policies and compliance requirements

By following these best practices, you can effectively manage your AWS resource configurations and ensure compliance with your organization’s policies.