Identity-based policies for AWS AppSync

By default, users and roles don't have permission to create or modify AWS AppSync resources. They also can't perform tasks by using the AWS Management Console, AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI), or AWS API. To grant users permission to perform actions on the resources that they need, an IAM administrator can create IAM policies. The administrator can then add the IAM policies to roles, and users can assume the roles.

To learn how to create an IAM identity-based policy by using these example JSON policy documents, see Create IAM policies (console) in the IAM User Guide.

For details about actions and resource types defined by AWS AppSync, including the format of the ARNs for each of the resource types, see Actions, resources, and condition keys for AWS AppSync in the Service Authorization Reference.

To learn the best practices for creating and configuring IAM identity-based policies, see IAM policy best practices.

For a list of IAM identity-based policies for AWS AppSync, see AWS managed policies for AWS AppSync.

Using the AWS AppSync console

To access the AWS AppSync console, you must have a minimum set of permissions. These permissions must allow you to list and view details about the AWS AppSync resources in your AWS account. If you create an identity-based policy that is more restrictive than the minimum required permissions, the console won't function as intended for entities (users or roles) with that policy.

You don't need to allow minimum console permissions for users that are making calls only to the AWS CLI or the AWS API. Instead, allow access to only the actions that match the API operation that they're trying to perform.

To ensure that IAM users and roles can still use the AWS AppSync console, also attach the AWS AppSync ConsoleAccess or ReadOnly AWS managed policy to the entities. For more information, see Adding permissions to a user in the IAM User Guide.

Allow users to view their own permissions

This example shows how you might create a policy that allows IAM users to view the inline and managed policies that are attached to their user identity. This policy includes permissions to complete this action on the console or programmatically using the AWS CLI or AWS API.

{
    "Version": "2012-10-17",
    "Statement": [
        {
            "Sid": "ViewOwnUserInfo",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "iam:GetUserPolicy",
                "iam:ListGroupsForUser",
                "iam:ListAttachedUserPolicies",
                "iam:ListUserPolicies",
                "iam:GetUser"
            ],
            "Resource": ["arn:aws:iam::*:user/${aws:username}"]
        },
        {
            "Sid": "NavigateInConsole",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "iam:GetGroupPolicy",
                "iam:GetPolicyVersion",
                "iam:GetPolicy",
                "iam:ListAttachedGroupPolicies",
                "iam:ListGroupPolicies",
                "iam:ListPolicyVersions",
                "iam:ListPolicies",
                "iam:ListUsers"
            ],
            "Resource": "*"
        }
    ]
}

Accessing one Amazon S3 bucket

In this example, you want to grant an IAM user in your AWS account access to one of your Amazon S3 buckets, examplebucket. You also want to allow the user to add, update, and delete objects.

In addition to granting the s3:PutObject, s3:GetObject, and s3:DeleteObject permissions to the user, the policy also grants the s3:ListAllMyBuckets, s3:GetBucketLocation, and s3:ListBucket permissions. These are the additional permissions required by the console. Also, the s3:PutObjectAcl and the s3:GetObjectAcl actions are required to be able to copy, cut, and paste objects in the console. For an example walkthrough that grants permissions to users and tests them using the console, see An example walkthrough: Using user policies to control access to your bucket.

{
   "Version":"2012-10-17",
   "Statement":[
      {
         "Sid":"ListBucketsInConsole",
         "Effect":"Allow",
         "Action":[
            "s3:ListAllMyBuckets"
         ],
         "Resource":"arn:aws:s3:::*"
      },
      {
         "Sid":"ViewSpecificBucketInfo",
         "Effect":"Allow",
         "Action":[
            "s3:ListBucket",
            "s3:GetBucketLocation"
         ],
         "Resource":"arn:aws:s3:::examplebucket"
      },
      {
         "Sid":"ManageBucketContents",
         "Effect":"Allow",
         "Action":[
            "s3:PutObject",
            "s3:PutObjectAcl",
            "s3:GetObject",
            "s3:GetObjectAcl",
            "s3:DeleteObject"
         ],
         "Resource":"arn:aws:s3:::examplebucket/*"
      }
   ]
}

Viewing AWS AppSync widgets based on tags

You can use conditions in your identity-based policy to control access to AWS AppSync resources based on tags. This example shows how you might create a policy that allows viewing a widget. However, permission is granted only if the widget tag Owner has the value of that user's user name. This policy also grants the permissions necessary to complete this action on the console.

{
    "Version": "2012-10-17",
    "Statement": [
        {
            "Sid": "ListWidgetsInConsole",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": "appsync:ListWidgets",
            "Resource": "*"
        },
        {
            "Sid": "ViewWidgetIfOwner",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": "appsync:GetWidget",
            "Resource": "arn:aws:appsync:*:*:widget/*",
            "Condition": {
                "StringEquals": {"aws:ResourceTag/Owner": "${aws:username}"}
            }
        }
    ]
}

You can attach this policy to the IAM users in your account. If a user named richard-roe attempts to view an AWS AppSync widget, the widget must be tagged Owner=richard-roe or owner=richard-roe. Otherwise he is denied access. The condition tag key Owner matches both Owner and owner because condition key names are not case-sensitive. For more information, see IAM JSON policy elements: Condition in the IAM User Guide.