Patching - Best Practices for Tagging AWS Resources

Patching

Organizations can automate their patching strategy for mutable compute environments and keep mutable instances in-line with the defined patch baseline of that application environment by using AWS Systems Manager Patch Manager and AWS Lambda. A tagging strategy for mutable instances within these environments can be managed by assigning said instances to Patch Groups and Maintenance Windows. See the following examples for a Dev → Test → Prod split. AWS prescriptive guidance is available for the patch management of mutable instances.

Table 10 - Operational tags can be environment specific

Development Staging Production 
{
"Tags": [
{
"Key": "Maintenance Window",
"ResourceId": "i-012345678ab9ab111",
"ResourceType": "instance",
"Value": "cron(30 23 ? * TUE#1 *)"
},
{
"Key": "Name",
"ResourceId": "i-012345678ab9ab222",
"ResourceType": "instance",
"Value": "WEBAPP"
},
{
"Key": "Patch Group",
"ResourceId": "i-012345678ab9ab333",
"ResourceType": "instance",
"Value": "WEBAPP-DEV-AL2"
}
]
}

{
"Tags": [
{
"Key": "Maintenance Window",
"ResourceId": "i-012345678ab9ab444",
"ResourceType": "instance",
"Value": "cron(30 23 ? * TUE#2 *)"
},
{
"Key": "Name",
"ResourceId": "i-012345678ab9ab555",
"ResourceType": "instance",
"Value": "WEBAPP"
},
{
"Key": "Patch Group",
"ResourceId": "i-012345678ab9ab666",
"ResourceType": "instance",
"Value": "WEBAPP-TEST-AL2"
}
]
}

{
"Tags": [
{
"Key": "Maintenance Window",
"ResourceId": "i-012345678ab9ab777",
"ResourceType": "instance",
"Value": "cron(30 23 ? * TUE#3 *)"
},
{
"Key": "Name",
"ResourceId": "i-012345678ab9ab888",
"ResourceType": "instance",
"Value": "WEBAPP"
},
{
"Key": "Patch Group",
"ResourceId": "i-012345678ab9ab999",
"ResourceType": "instance",
"Value": "WEBAPP-PROD-AL2"
}
]
}

Zero-day vulnerabilities can also be managed by having tags defined to complement your patching strategy. Refer to Avoid zero-day vulnerabilities with same-day security patching using AWS Systems Manager for detailed guidance.