Access control for AWS CLI is simple in theory and dangerous in practice. Too many organizations hand out credentials without strict limits. Contractors join for short-term tasks, touch critical resources, and vanish. Without tight controls, their permissions linger. This is how breaches happen.
For contractors, AWS CLI access should follow zero trust rules. Give the least privilege needed. Use temporary credentials whenever possible. Scope permissions to specific services and actions. Always bind them to the shortest expiration that works for the job.
Identity and Access Management (IAM) is your first line of defense. Create dedicated IAM roles for contractors. Use role-based policies, not user accounts with static keys. Require Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). Deny everything by default, then add what’s necessary. No wildcards. No permanent keys. No unmanaged profiles.
Audit every session. Log all AWS CLI calls with CloudTrail. Store logs outside of the contractor’s accessible resources. Review them daily when contractors are active. Revoke credentials as soon as work is done.