AWS Security Checklist for Startups

Security Shouldn't Slow You Down

Startups often delay security, but basic hygiene takes minimal effort and prevents catastrophic breaches. Here's your essential checklist.

Identity & Access Management

• [ ] Enable MFA on root account


• [ ] Create IAM users (never use root)


• [ ] Implement least-privilege policies


• [ ] Use IAM roles for services


• [ ] Enable AWS SSO for team access

Network Security

• [ ] Use VPCs (not default VPC)


• [ ] Implement security groups properly


• [ ] Enable VPC Flow Logs


• [ ] Use private subnets for databases


• [ ] Configure NAT Gateway for outbound

Data Protection

• [ ] Enable encryption at rest (S3, RDS, EBS)


• [ ] Enable encryption in transit (TLS everywhere)


• [ ] Implement backup policies


• [ ] Use Secrets Manager for credentials


• [ ] Enable versioning on S3 buckets

Monitoring & Logging

• [ ] Enable CloudTrail (all regions)


• [ ] Configure CloudWatch alarms


• [ ] Set up GuardDuty


• [ ] Enable Config rules


• [ ] Implement centralized logging

Quick Wins

These take 30 minutes and prevent 90% of breaches:

Tools

• AWS Security Hub - Centralized security view


• Prowler - Open-source security assessment


• AWS Config - Compliance monitoring

Get Help

Not sure where to start? We offer free security assessments for startups. No strings attached.