AWS security Interview Questions and Answers
Q: What are the security best practices for Amazon EC2?
Answer: We can apply the following security best practices to keep secure EC2 instances-
- Regularly update and patch your EC2 instances.
- Use security groups to control inbound and outbound traffic.
- Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) for administrative access.
- Encrypt sensitive data at rest and in transit.
- Implement strong and unique passwords or SSH key pairs for access.
- Use AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) to manage user permissions.
- Monitor and analyze logs for security events using services like AWS CloudTrail and Amazon Guard Duty.
- Enable automated backups and implement disaster recovery strategies.
- Restrict access to EC2 instances using network ACLs and VPC security groups.
- Regularly scan for vulnerabilities.
Q: How to secure your data for transport in the cloud?
Answer: To secure data for transport in the cloud, we can follow these practices:
- Use secure communication protocols like HTTPS or SSL/TLS for data transmission.
- Implement encryption mechanisms to protect sensitive data while in transit.
- Utilize virtual private networks (VPNs) to establish secure connections between your on-premises environment and the cloud.
- Use strong access controls and authentication mechanisms to prevent unauthorized access to data during transport.
- Regularly monitor and audit your data transport processes to identify and address any vulnerabilities or security gaps.
Q: What Is Key Pair?
Answer: In the context of AWS, A key pair is a security credential that consists of a public key and a private key. It is used primarily for secure access to EC2 instances. When you launch an EC2 instance, you need to specify a key pair. AWS generates the public key, and you download the private key file (.pem format) to your local machine. This private key is required for securely connecting to the EC2 instance using SSH (Secure Shell) or SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol).
Q: What are the important cloud security aspects in AWS?
Answer: Some important cloud security aspects in AWS are –
- Identity and Access Management (IAM) for user authentication and authorization.
- Network security with Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), security groups, and network ACLs.
- Encryption at rest and in transit to protect data.
- Regular patching and updates to address security vulnerabilities.
- Logging and monitoring with services like AWS CloudTrail and Amazon Guard Duty.
- Incident response and disaster recovery planning.
- Secure configuration and management of AWS resources.
- Compliance with industry and regulatory standards.
- Penetration testing and vulnerability assessments to identify and remediate security risks.
Q: What are the laws implemented for security of cloud data?
Answer: Different security laws for cloud data apply at various stages of the data lifecycle. Laws for input validation help control the data that enters the system. Backup and security laws ensure data is stored securely, preventing breaches.
The laws and regulations implemented for the security of cloud data vary depending on the country and region.
Here are some notable laws and regulations that may apply to the security of cloud data –
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): Enforced in the European Union (EU), GDPR establishes requirements for the protection of personal data and imposes strict guidelines on how organizations handle and secure such data.California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA): Applicable to businesses operating in California, CCPA grants consumers certain rights and imposes obligations on businesses regarding the collection, storage, and protection of personal information.Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): Relevant to the healthcare industry in the United States, HIPAA sets standards for the security and privacy of protected health information (PHI).Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS): A standard enforced by the payment card industry globally, PCI DSS outlines security requirements for organizations that handle payment card data to prevent data breaches and protect cardholder information.