AWS Unstructured Data Exposure Remediation

Learn how to fix exposure of unstructured data in AWS environments. Follow step-by-step guidance for GDPR compliance and data security.

data exposure

GDPR

aws

Why It Matters

The core goal is to remediate every instance where unstructured data is improperly exposed within your AWS environment, ensuring that sensitive documents, logs, and files are properly secured before they become compliance violations or security incidents. Fixing unstructured data exposure in AWS is critical for organizations subject to GDPR, as it helps you demonstrate proactive data protection and prevents unauthorized access to personal data stored in S3 buckets, EFS, or other storage services.

Primary Risk: Data exposure through misconfigured storage permissions

Relevant Regulation: GDPR General Data Protection Regulation

A systematic remediation approach delivers immediate risk reduction, ensuring compliance with data protection requirements and preventing potential data breaches.

Prerequisites

Permissions & Roles

  • AWS IAM admin or security role
  • S3 bucket policy modification rights
  • CloudTrail and Config access

External Tools

  • AWS CLI configured
  • Cyera DSPM account
  • Security scanning tools

Prior Setup

  • AWS account with resources
  • CloudTrail logging enabled
  • Network security groups configured
  • Backup and recovery plan

Introducing Cyera

Cyera is a modern Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) platform that discovers, classifies, and continuously monitors your sensitive data across cloud services. Using advanced AI-powered content analysis and natural language processing (NLP), Cyera automatically identifies and classifies unstructured data in AWS storage services, enabling rapid remediation of exposure risks while maintaining comprehensive visibility into your data landscape.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Assess current exposure scope

Use Cyera's discovery engine to scan all AWS storage services and identify unstructured data with exposure risks. Review findings categorized by sensitivity level and access patterns.

aws s3api list-buckets --query 'Buckets[*].Name'

2
Prioritize remediation actions

In the Cyera portal, navigate to Risk Assessment → Data Exposure. Sort findings by risk score, focusing first on publicly accessible buckets containing personal data or sensitive documents.

3
Apply security controls and policies

Implement bucket policies, access control lists, and encryption for identified resources. Use AWS Config rules to prevent future misconfigurations and establish continuous monitoring.

4
Validate remediation and monitor

Verify that access restrictions are properly applied, test with non-privileged accounts, and configure alerts for future exposure events. Document all changes for compliance auditing.

Architecture & Workflow

AWS Storage Services

S3, EFS, EBS volumes with unstructured data

Cyera Scanner

AI-powered content analysis and classification

Remediation Engine

Automated policy application and access control

Monitoring & Alerts

Continuous compliance validation and reporting

Remediation Flow Summary

Discover Exposed Data → Classify Content → Apply Security Controls → Validate & Monitor

Best Practices & Tips

Security Considerations

  • Apply principle of least privilege
  • Enable default encryption for all buckets
  • Use VPC endpoints for internal access

Automation & Monitoring

  • Set up CloudWatch alarms for policy changes
  • Use AWS Config for compliance monitoring
  • Implement automated remediation workflows

Common Pitfalls

  • Forgetting to check cross-account access policies
  • Over-restrictive permissions breaking applications
  • Missing versioned objects in remediation

References & Further Reading

Next Steps

🛡️ Prevent: Establish proactive data protection controls 🔍 Detect: Implement continuous monitoring for unstructured data