Description: Service Control Policies (SCP) are an essential component in managing permissions within cloud environments that use multi-account structures, such as AWS Organizations. These policies allow administrators to set limits on the permissions that can be granted to users and resources within an organization. Through SCP, a set of rules can be defined to restrict or allow access to specific services and actions in the cloud. This is particularly useful for ensuring that best security practices are maintained across the organization, preventing users from performing unauthorized or potentially harmful actions. SCPs are applied to accounts within an organization, meaning they can be managed centrally, facilitating permission management at scale. Additionally, these policies are evaluated in conjunction with IAM (Identity and Access Management) policies, allowing for more granular and effective control over resource access. In summary, SCPs are a powerful tool for governance and security in multi-account environments, ensuring that organizations can operate securely and in accordance with their internal policies.
History: Service Control Policies (SCP) were introduced by cloud service providers in the late 2010s as part of their organizational management functionalities. This development arose in response to the growing need for businesses to efficiently and securely manage multiple accounts. Prior to the implementation of SCP, permission management was primarily done through IAM policies, which could be cumbersome in multi-account environments. With the arrival of SCP, a solution was provided that allows administrators to set permission boundaries at the organizational level, thereby enhancing security and governance in the cloud.
Uses: Service Control Policies are primarily used to set boundaries on the permissions that can be granted to accounts within an organizational structure in cloud environments. This is especially useful for companies operating in regulated sectors, where maintaining strict control over resource access is crucial. Additionally, SCPs allow administrators to enforce consistent security policies across all accounts, ensuring that best practices are followed and security risks are minimized. They are also used to enable or disable specific services in individual accounts, allowing for more granular management of cloud resources.
Examples: A practical example of using SCP is a company that wants to restrict access to certain cloud services across all its development accounts. Through an SCP, the administrator can define a policy that prohibits the use of particular services in those accounts, ensuring that developers cannot utilize those resources. Another example would be an organization that needs to comply with specific regulations, such as GDPR, and uses SCP to limit access to services that do not meet those requirements across all its accounts.
