Policy

In a multi-account AWS environment, maintaining consistent security and compliance controls across resources is a significant challenge. AWS Resource Control Policies (RCPs) offer a robust solution by enabling centralized governance. These policies define permission guardrails that limit what actions can be performed on resources within member accounts.

Unlike traditional IAM policies that grant access, RCPs act as guardrails. They restrict the maximum set of permissions that can be used, regardless of what resource-based or identity-based policies allow. This ensures that even if an overly permissive resource policy is attached in an account, RCPs can still prevent unintended access.

When you first dive into AWS, understanding the IAM permission model can feel like the biggest hurdle. It takes time to wrap your head around concepts like least privilege and how policies work together to control access in your cloud environment.

The diagram below gives you a simplified view of the types of AWS policies. As AWS has added more types of policies and features over time, it can feel a bit overwhelming to figure out how everything fits. But don’t worry—when it comes to managing access, it all comes down to a few key ideas. AWS policies can be grouped into three main types: Organizational Policies, Identity-Based Policies, and Resource Policies. Together, these policies help you set the rules for who can access what in your AWS environment.