AWS Well-Architected Security Pillar
Amazon Web Services security best practices framework
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Framework Domains (12)
AWS Well-Architected Security Pillar: Cloud Infrastructure Security
Securing cloud infrastructure (AWS Well-Architected Security Pillar)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| AWS-WA-16 | Virtual network segmentation |
| AWS-WA-17 | Container and serverless security |
| AWS-WA-18 | Cloud workload protection |
| AWS-WA-19 | Image and template hardening |
| AWS-WA-20 | Cloud configuration management |
AWS Well-Architected Security Pillar: Cloud Operations & Monitoring
Operating and monitoring cloud securely (AWS Well-Architected Security Pillar)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| AWS-WA-21 | Cloud security monitoring and logging |
| AWS-WA-22 | Incident response in cloud |
| AWS-WA-23 | Cloud vulnerability management |
| AWS-WA-24 | Cloud change management |
| AWS-WA-25 | Service level agreement management |
AWS Well-Architected Security Pillar: Data Protection in Cloud
Protecting data in cloud services (AWS Well-Architected Security Pillar)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| AWS-WA-11 | Data classification for cloud |
| AWS-WA-12 | Encryption of cloud-stored data |
| AWS-WA-13 | Data residency and sovereignty |
| AWS-WA-14 | Data backup and recovery in cloud |
| AWS-WA-15 | Secure data deletion in cloud |
AWS Well-Architected Security Pillar: Identity & Access in Cloud
Identity management in cloud environments (AWS Well-Architected Security Pillar)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| AWS-WA-06 | Cloud identity management |
| AWS-WA-07 | Multi-factor authentication for cloud |
| AWS-WA-08 | Privileged access in cloud environments |
| AWS-WA-09 | Federation and single sign-on |
| AWS-WA-10 | API security and access tokens |
Application Security
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| SEC11-BP01 | Train for application security |
| SEC11-BP02 | Automate testing throughout the development and release lifecycle |
| SEC11-BP03 | Perform regular penetration testing |
| SEC11-BP04 | Conduct code reviews |
| SEC11-BP05 | Centralize services for packages and dependencies |
| SEC11-BP06 | Deploy software programmatically |
| SEC11-BP07 | Regularly assess security properties of the pipelines |
| SEC11-BP08 | Build a program that embeds security ownership in workload teams |
Cloud Security Overview
Summary cloud-security practices (cross-reference layer) complementing the SEC best practices.
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| AWS-WA-01 | Shared responsibility model definition |
| AWS-WA-02 | Cloud security policy and strategy |
| AWS-WA-03 | Cloud risk assessment |
| AWS-WA-04 | Regulatory compliance for cloud services |
| AWS-WA-05 | Cloud security roles and responsibilities |
Data Protection
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| SEC07-BP01 | Identify the data within your workload |
| SEC07-BP02 | Define data protection controls |
| SEC07-BP03 | Automate identification and classification |
| SEC07-BP04 | Define data lifecycle management |
| SEC08-BP01 | Implement secure key management |
| SEC08-BP02 | Enforce encryption at rest |
| SEC08-BP03 | Automate data at rest protection |
| SEC08-BP04 | Enforce access control |
| SEC09-BP01 | Implement secure key and certificate management |
| SEC09-BP02 | Enforce encryption in transit |
| SEC09-BP03 | Automate detection of unintended data access |
| SEC09-BP04 | Authenticate network communications |
Detection
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| SEC04-BP01 | Configure service and application logging |
| SEC04-BP02 | Capture logs, findings, and metrics in standardized locations |
| SEC04-BP03 | Correlate and enrich security alerts |
| SEC04-BP04 | Initiate remediation for non-compliant resources |
| SEC04-BP05 | Implement actionable security events |
Identity & Access Management
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| SEC02-BP01 | Use strong sign-in mechanisms |
| SEC02-BP02 | Use temporary credentials |
| SEC02-BP03 | Store and use secrets securely |
| SEC02-BP04 | Rely on a centralized identity provider |
| SEC02-BP05 | Audit and rotate credentials periodically |
| SEC02-BP06 | Employ user groups and attributes |
| SEC03-BP01 | Define access requirements |
| SEC03-BP02 | Grant least privilege access |
| SEC03-BP03 | Establish emergency access process |
| SEC03-BP04 | Reduce permissions continuously |
| SEC03-BP05 | Define permission guardrails for your organization |
| SEC03-BP06 | Manage access based on lifecycle |
| SEC03-BP07 | Analyze public and cross-account access |
| SEC03-BP08 | Share resources securely within your organization |
| SEC03-BP09 | Share resources securely with a third party |
Incident Response
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| SEC10-BP01 | Identify key personnel and external resources |
| SEC10-BP02 | Develop incident management plans |
| SEC10-BP03 | Prepare forensic capabilities |
| SEC10-BP04 | Automate containment capability |
| SEC10-BP05 | Identify forensic and incident response tools |
| SEC10-BP06 | Pre-deploy tools |
| SEC10-BP07 | Run simulations |
| SEC10-BP08 | Establish a framework for learning from incidents |
Infrastructure Protection
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| SEC05-BP01 | Create network layers |
| SEC05-BP02 | Control traffic at all layers |
| SEC05-BP03 | Implement inspection-based protection |
| SEC05-BP04 | Automate network protection |
| SEC06-BP01 | Perform vulnerability management |
| SEC06-BP02 | Reduce attack surface |
| SEC06-BP03 | Implement managed services |
| SEC06-BP04 | Automate compute protection |
| SEC06-BP05 | Enable people to perform actions at a distance |
| SEC06-BP06 | Validate software integrity |
Security Foundations
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| SEC01-BP01 | Separate workloads using accounts |
| SEC01-BP02 | Secure account root user and properties |
| SEC01-BP03 | Identify and validate control objectives |
| SEC01-BP04 | Stay up to date with security threats and recommendations |
| SEC01-BP06 | Automate testing and validation of security controls |
| SEC01-BP07 | Identify threats and prioritize mitigations using a threat model |
Your Compliance Coverage
If you comply with AWS Well-Architected Security Pillar, you already cover:
Azure Security Benchmark
21%
19 controls mapped
Compare →NIST SP 800-190
21%
19 controls mapped
Compare →ISO 27017
21%
19 controls mapped
Compare →+ 453 more: MTCS (Singapore) (21%), ISO 27018 (21%)
See all 456 mapped frameworks ↓Maps to 456 other frameworks
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AWS Well-Architected Security Pillar?
AWS Well-Architected Security Pillar is a compliance framework from International with 12 domains and 89 controls. Amazon Web Services security best practices framework It is used by organisations to establish and maintain compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
How many controls does AWS Well-Architected Security Pillar have?
AWS Well-Architected Security Pillar has 89 controls organised across 12 domains. The largest domains are Identity & Access Management (15 controls), Data Protection (12 controls), Infrastructure Protection (10 controls). Each control defines specific requirements that organisations must implement to achieve compliance.
What frameworks does AWS Well-Architected Security Pillar map to?
AWS Well-Architected Security Pillar maps to 456 other compliance frameworks. The top mapping partners are Azure Security Benchmark (21% coverage), NIST SP 800-190 (21% coverage), ISO 27017 (21% coverage). Use our comparison tool to explore control-level mappings between frameworks.
How do I get started with AWS Well-Architected Security Pillar compliance?
Start your AWS Well-Architected Security Pillar compliance journey by running a self-assessment on our platform to identify your current compliance posture. Our AI advisory can answer specific questions about AWS Well-Architected Security Pillar requirements, and cross-framework mapping helps you leverage existing controls from other frameworks you may already comply with. Create a free account to access all 89 controls and track your progress.
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