

# Access control best practices and security considerations
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Follow these best practices to maintain secure and effective access controls for your Route 53 Global Resolver infrastructure.

## Security best practices
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Implement these security measures to protect your DNS infrastructure:
+ **Use layered authentication** - Combine access sources for trusted networks with tokens for mobile users. This approach provides defense in depth and accommodates different client scenarios.
+ **Implement least privilege access** - Grant access only to the IP ranges and protocols that clients actually need. Avoid overly broad access source rules that could expose your infrastructure to unauthorized use.
+ **Rotate tokens regularly** - Replace access tokens on a regular schedule, even before they expire. This practice limits the impact of compromised tokens and maintains security hygiene.
+ **Monitor access patterns** - Review DNS query logs to identify unusual access patterns or potential security issues. Set up alerts for queries from unexpected IP ranges or using expired tokens.

## Operational best practices
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Follow these operational practices to maintain reliable access controls:
+ **Document your access control strategy** - Maintain clear documentation of which access sources and tokens serve which client groups.
+ **Test access controls regularly** - Verify that your access source rules and tokens work correctly from different client locations and scenarios.
+ **Plan for token renewal** - Establish processes for distributing new tokens before old ones expire to avoid service disruptions.
+ **Review access controls periodically** - Remove unused access source rules and expired tokens to maintain a clean configuration.