How do you auto-remediate 0.0.0.0/0 security groups across AWS Organizations?
Short answer
A Use an AWS Config rule to detect security groups open to 0.0.0.0/0 and automatic remediation to replace the source with the approved intranet CIDR.
Question
Which set of actions should the CloudOps engineer take to create a solution?
Key Takeaways
The exam tests detection plus remediation across an organization; the trap is choosing preventive controls such as an SCP or IAM deny policy that cannot fix existing security groups.
AWS Config detects security groups that allow inbound traffic from 0.0.0.0/0 and can trigger automatic remediation to replace that source with the company's approved intranet CIDR. The correct solution uses a Config rule with remediation across AWS Organizations, not a preventive SCP or IAM deny policy.
Common mistake: The most common wrong answer is D: an SCP blocks creation of new 0.0.0.0/0 rules, but it does not modify existing noncompliant security groups, so it fails the automatic remediation requirement.
Expert Analysis
Why the Answer Is Correct
AWS Config is the service designed to evaluate resource configuration against a rule and mark resources as noncompliant. In this scenario, a Config rule can detect security groups with inbound 0.0.0.0/0 rules, and AWS Config remediation can invoke an SSM Automation document or Lambda function to revoke the open rule and authorize the approved intranet CIDR instead. With AWS Organizations, AWS Config can be centrally deployed through a delegated administrator and an organization aggregator so member accounts are evaluated consistently. Option A therefore covers both required parts: organization-wide detection and automatic remediation to a specific CIDR block.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option B uses an IAM policy to deny creation of open security groups, but it does not detect or remediate existing groups and it depends on every user and role being covered correctly. Option C could theoretically inspect and modify security groups with Lambda, but a standalone Lambda function does not provide AWS Config compliance evaluation, organization-wide visibility, or the managed remediation workflow the question asks for. Option D uses an SCP to prevent new open security groups, but SCPs are preventive controls and cannot change the source address of an existing security group. Only Option A combines continuous compliance detection with automated remediation of existing noncompliant security groups.
Community Comment Notes
Bad_Mat's comment aligns with this verdict, stating "The correct answer is A" and describing an AWS Config rule with automatic remediation to the approved CIDR block. No commenter argued for the SCP or IAM policy alternatives. The community input is consistent with the AWS Config detection-and-remediation design required by the question.
Official Reference
- https://docs.aws.amazon.com/config/latest/developerguide/vpc-sg-open-only-to-authorized-ports.html
- https://docs.aws.amazon.com/config/latest/developerguide/remediation.html
These links open the official vendor documentation in a new tab.
Exam Strategy
When a scenario says detect noncompliant resources and automatically remediate, look for AWS Config remediation rather than a preventive control. SCPs and IAM deny policies stop new misconfigurations but do not fix existing resources, so they fail the automatic remediation requirement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is an SCP not enough to remediate existing open security groups?
Can AWS Config detect open security groups across all Organizations accounts?
Discussion 1 contributions
Compiled from public community threads and reader submissions, lightly edited for clarity. Handles and vote tallies are shown as recorded, and comments reflect the views of individual contributors.
From public community threads 1
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Bad_Mat 👍 1 Answered AThe correct answer is A. Create an AWS Config rule to detect noncompliant security groups. Set up automatic remediation to change the 0.0.0.0/0 source address to the approved CIDR block.
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