Amazon Inspector
Automated security assessment service to identify vulnerabilities in AWS workloads.
| Category | Vulnerability Management |
|---|---|
| This page updated | a month ago |
| Pricing Details | Pricing based on usage and resources scanned. |
| Target Audience | AWS users and developers looking to enhance security in their cloud environments. |
Amazon Inspector is designed for identifying and managing vulnerabilities in AWS workloads by automating the discovery and scanning of various resources such as Amazon EC2 instances, containers, and Lambda functions. The service leverages the AWS Systems Manager (SSM) agent for comprehensive visibility, allowing it to switch between agent-based and agentless scanning to maximize coverage.
Technically, Amazon Inspector integrates with multiple AWS services, including Amazon ECR for container image scanning and AWS Lambda for serverless function assessment. It utilizes over 50 sources of vulnerability intelligence to quickly discover zero-day vulnerabilities and expedite the remediation process. The service generates contextual risk scores based on current Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) information and network accessibility, enabling prioritized patch remediation and reducing the mean time to remediate (MTTR).
Operationally, Amazon Inspector supports compliance with various regulations such as NIST CSF and PCI DSS by providing detailed assessment reports and findings prioritized by severity. It also allows for the central management of software bill of materials (SBOM) exports, embedding security earlier in the development cycle. However, the effectiveness of Inspector can be limited by the need for proper SSM agent deployment and configuration, and the service may incur additional costs, particularly for multi-account setups and extensive historical data retention.