S3 Buckets That Have ACL That Allow Global Write Access

Overview

The S3 Buckets That Have ACL That Allow Global Write Access widget identifies S3 buckets with access control lists (ACLs) that permit write actions to all users, including unauthenticated principals. This insight is critical for IT Operations (IT Ops) and Security Operations (Sec Ops) engineers to prevent unauthorized modifications, secure bucket configurations, and safeguard data integrity.

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Why It Matters

For IT Engineers:

1. Configuration Oversight:

   • Highlights buckets with overly permissive ACLs, enabling IT Ops to implement appropriate restrictions.

   • Ensures that only authorized entities can modify or add data to these buckets.

2. Operational Stability:

   • Prevents unintended changes or data overwrites caused by unauthorized writes, maintaining operational consistency.

3. Compliance Assurance:

   • Aligns bucket configurations with organizational policies and regulatory standards to avoid non-compliance.

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For Security Engineers:

1. Data Protection:

   • Identifies buckets vulnerable to unauthorized writes, which could compromise data integrity or lead to malicious uploads.

2. Threat Prevention:

   • Reduces the risk of exploitation, such as attackers using buckets with global write access to store harmful or illegal content.

3. Policy Enforcement:

   • Ensures compliance with security best practices by restricting write permissions to trusted principals.

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Practical Applications

• Policy Updates: Modify ACLs to remove global write access and grant permissions only to specific roles or users.

• Incident Response: Secure buckets with open write access during security events to prevent unauthorized modifications.

• Compliance Checks: Regularly review ACLs to ensure bucket configurations follow best practices and meet regulatory requirements.

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