AWS: Best practices for ALB authentication security

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has released new guidance on the secure use of its Application Load Balancer (ALB) authentication features. AWS states that security is its top priority and the new guidance aims to help customers fortify their environments.

The ALB authentication feature, introduced in 2018, allows secure user authentication as users access applications directly at the load balancer level. This eliminates the need to develop complex authentication code on backend servers, simplifying the application development process.

AWS emphasizes its shared responsibility model. AWS is responsible for "security of the cloud," including the load balancer infrastructure and software, and the secure operation of the authentication mechanisms themselves. Users, however, are responsible for "security in the cloud," which involves the secure configuration of the resources they provision and use.

The guidance outlines best practices for effectively leveraging ALB's authentication capabilities and ensuring robust security measures are in place. It specifically addresses the correct configuration of ALB authentication parameters, security group settings for target resources, and secure configuration of software running on target resources behind the ALB.