AWS CLI Password Rotation Policies: Best Practices and Automation

Password rotation is not optional on AWS; it’s part of protecting access to your cloud resources. The AWS CLI makes it possible to manage password rotation policies at scale. Done right, it reduces risk without slowing you down. Done wrong, it locks people out or leaves gaps for attackers.

Why Password Rotation Policies Matter
AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) lets you enforce password rotation across all users. Rotation policies define how often a password must change, the complexity it requires, and when it expires. Attackers depend on static credentials. Setting strict policies and automating rotation keeps the attack surface tight.

AWS CLI Commands for Password Rotation
The CLI gives you direct control over IAM password policies without touching the web console. To set a new policy, use:

aws iam update-account-password-policy \
 --minimum-password-length 14 \
 --require-symbols \
 --require-numbers \
 --require-uppercase-characters \
 --require-lowercase-characters \
 --allow-users-to-change-password \
 --max-password-age 90 \
 --password-reuse-prevention 5

This command enforces strong passwords, prevents reuse, and expires them every 90 days.

To check the current policy:

aws iam get-account-password-policy

Best Practices for AWS CLI Password Rotation Policies

• Enforce minimum password length of at least 12–14 characters.
• Require symbols, numbers, uppercase, and lowercase.
• Avoid maximum password ages longer than 90 days.
• Restrict password reuse for at least the last 5 versions.
• Use automation to notify and rotate passwords before expiry.
• Combine password policies with MFA for all accounts.

Automating Rotation with AWS CLI and Scripts
Automation prevents missed expirations and reduces friction. A scheduled job using AWS CLI and your CI/CD environment can detect passwords nearing expiry and trigger alerts or rotations. Store automation scripts in secure repositories. Use fine-grained IAM permissions so the automation process can only perform safe operations.

Security and Compliance Gains
Many compliance frameworks require proof of rotation policies. AWS CLI helps you generate clear, auditable logs for every policy update and password change. This makes security reviews faster and less painful. Consistency across accounts and regions is easier when policies are codified and versioned in scripts.

Take the Next Step
Strong AWS CLI password rotation policies are essential for securing accounts and meeting compliance goals. They are not just settings; they are operational guardrails. If you need to see this kind of policy enforcement and automation live, without weeks of setup, hoop.dev can get you there in minutes.