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AWS securityhub medium security documentation change

Service: securityhub · 2026-01-10 · Security-related medium

File: securityhub/latest/userguide/cloudformation-controls.md

Summary

Added new security control [CloudFormation.4] requiring service roles for CloudFormation stacks

Security assessment

Explicitly addresses privilege escalation risks by enforcing least-privilege access. Control note warns about permission inheritance risks and provides remediation guidance.

Diff

diff --git a/securityhub/latest/userguide/cloudformation-controls.md b/securityhub/latest/userguide/cloudformation-controls.md
index a3a848062..f80bf85aa 100644
--- a//securityhub/latest/userguide/cloudformation-controls.md
+++ b//securityhub/latest/userguide/cloudformation-controls.md
@@ -5 +5 @@
-[CloudFormation.1] CloudFormation stacks should be integrated with Simple Notification Service (SNS)[CloudFormation.2] CloudFormation stacks should be tagged[CloudFormation.3] CloudFormation stacks should have termination protection enabled
+[CloudFormation.1] CloudFormation stacks should be integrated with Simple Notification Service (SNS)[CloudFormation.2] CloudFormation stacks should be tagged[CloudFormation.3] CloudFormation stacks should have termination protection enabled[CloudFormation.4] CloudFormation stacks should have associated service roles
@@ -96,0 +97,26 @@ To enable termination protection on a CloudFormation stack, see [Protect CloudFo
+## [CloudFormation.4] CloudFormation stacks should have associated service roles
+
+**Category:** Detect > Secure access management
+
+**Severity:** Medium
+
+**Resource type:** `AWS::CloudFormation::Stack`
+
+**AWS Config rule:** `cloudformation-stack-service-role-check`
+
+**Schedule type:** Change triggered
+
+**Parameters:** None
+
+This control checks whether an AWS CloudFormation stack has a service role associated with it. The control fails for a CloudFormation stack if no service role is associated with it.
+
+Using service roles with CloudFormation stacks helps implement least privilege access by separating permissions between the user who creates/updates stacks and the permissions needed by CloudFormation to create/update resources. This reduces the risk of privilege escalation and helps maintain security boundaries between different operational roles.
+
+###### Note
+
+It is not possible to remove a service role attached to a stack after the stack is created. Other users that have permissions to perform operations on this stack are able to use this role, regardless of whether those users have the `iam:PassRole` permission or not. If the role includes permissions that the user shouldn't have, you can unintentionally escalate a user's permissions. Ensure that the role grants least privilege.
+
+### Remediation
+
+To associate a service role with a CloudFormation stack, see [CloudFormation service role](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSCloudFormation/latest/UserGuide/using-iam-servicerole.html) in the _AWS CloudFormation User Guide_.
+