The Challenge
A fast-growing logistics tech company was struggling to manage its AWS infrastructure. They had:
- 18 AWS accounts spread across different teams.
- 5+ development teams needing different levels of access.
- Long-term credentials still being used, creating security risks.
- No centralized logging or governance, making audits time-consuming.
Security teams were spending 50+ hours per month tracking, auditing, and reviewing access. Admin logins made up 80% of total access events, a major security concern. Their previous attempt at implementing AWS Control Tower had failed, leaving behind a mess.
How I Took Ownership
I stepped in to clean up their AWS infrastructure, migrate access control to AWS SSO, and establish a scalable security foundation with AWS Control Tower. My approach included:
- Conducting an in-depth audit of their AWS accounts and permission structures.
- Creating a step-by-step incremental migration plan for AWS Control Tower.
- Cleaning up past failed implementation attempts.
- Rolling out SSO for developers and CI/CD pipelines to eliminate long-term credentials.
The Strategy
Rather than a disruptive migration, I took a phased approach:
- Set Up a Clean AWS Control Tower Landing Zone – Established a secure, scalable foundation.
- Incremental Account Migration – Gradually onboarded AWS accounts into Control Tower to prevent disruption.
- Centralized Access Control – Shifted teams from long-term credentials to AWS SSO.
- Automated Security Monitoring – Integrated AWS Config, Security Hub, GuardDuty, and Firewall Manager.
- Enhanced Visibility & Auditing – Integrated Datadog for real-time security monitoring.
The Execution
- IAM & Access Control Overhaul: Implemented role-based access control using AWS SSO.
- CI/CD Pipeline Migration: Refactored pipelines to use temporary credentials instead of static IAM keys.
- Progressive Rollout: Migrated accounts incrementally, ensuring minimal friction for developers.
- Automated Policy Enforcement: Established guardrails to enforce security policies across all accounts.
Architecture Diagrams
The architecture diagrams below offer visual insights into the setup and structure of the AWS Control Tower implementation for our client. They provide a clear overview of the hierarchical organization of AWS accounts within the Control Tower environment and highlight key components of the architecture.
The Results
- 50% reduction in security team workload, saving 50+ hours per month on access tracking and audits.
- 80% decrease in admin logins, significantly improving security posture.
- Full migration completed in 4 months with zero downtime.
- Scalable governance model that allows the company to easily onboard new AWS accounts.
Roadblocks & How I Overcame Them
- Developer Resistance to SSO: Teams were hesitant to move away from long-term credentials. Solution? Clear communication, phased rollouts, and hands-on support during migration.
- CI/CD Authentication Challenges: Pipelines needed refactoring to work with temporary credentials. Solution? Tested SSO authentication in a non-prod environment first to ensure smooth adoption.
- Cleanup of Old AWS Control Tower Setup: The previous failed implementation left behind misconfigured resources. Solution? Manual audit and full reset before re-implementation.
Key Takeaways & Future Applications
- Phased rollouts prevent resistance and minimize disruptions.
- AWS Control Tower makes security scalable when implemented correctly.
- Centralized logging and monitoring are crucial for security & compliance.
- SSO adoption requires a mindset shift but pays off in reduced risk & overhead.
Additional Information
- https://docs.aws.amazon.com/controltower/latest/userguide/what-is-control-tower.html
- https://docs.aws.amazon.com/controltower/latest/userguide/getting-started-with-control-tower.html
- https://docs.aws.amazon.com/controltower/latest/userguide/how-control-tower-works.html
