How I Passed the AWS Certified Security – Specialty (SCS-C02) Exam in 2025

My real-world journey passing the AWS Certified Security – Specialty (SCS-C02) exam. Study strategies, mistakes, resources, and tips for future candidates.

April 28, 2025 · 3 min · 635 words · Javier Pulido

Building Least-Privilege IAM Roles with IAM Access Analyzer

Use IAM Access Analyzer to build least-privilege IAM roles in AWS — includes policy generation from CloudTrail, Terraform integration, and AWS best practices.

April 21, 2025 · 4 min · 799 words · Javier Pulido

How to Detect AWS Root Account Usage (And Respond to It)

Detect and alert on AWS root account usage using CloudTrail, EventBridge, SNS, and optional Slack notifications. Step-by-step setup and Terraform included.

April 21, 2025 · 3 min · 446 words · Javier Pulido

AWS Security Checklist 2025: 10 Critical Steps to Secure Your Cloud

A step-by-step checklist to secure your AWS account in 2025 — includes IAM hardening, S3 lockdown, logging, and budget alerts. Beginner to intermediate friendly.

April 20, 2025 · 3 min · 540 words · Javier Pulido

IAM Users Are Dead: Modern AWS Access Control for 2025

Stop using IAM users in AWS. This guide explains why they’re risky and how to migrate to Identity Center, STS, and OIDC-based access — step-by-step.

April 20, 2025 · 3 min · 437 words · Javier Pulido

5 Critical AWS Security Misconfigurations (2025 Edition) – How to Find & Fix Them

Five AWS misconfigurations still causing breaches in 2025 — includes fixes for public S3 buckets, over-permissive IAM, open security groups, and missing monitoring.

April 19, 2025 · 4 min · 645 words · Javier Pulido