Check ID:
Provider: AWS
Service:
Severity: HIGH
Categories:
Resource type:
emr_cluster_account_public_block_enabledProvider: AWS
Service:
emrSeverity: HIGH
Categories:
internet-exposedResource type:
OtherWhat this check verifies
Amazon EMR account-level Block Public Access configuration is assessed per Region. WhenBlockPublicSecurityGroupRules is enabled, clusters cannot use security groups that allow inbound public sources (0.0.0.0/0, ::/0) except on permitted ports.
Risk
Public EMR-facing rules enable Internet reachability to cluster nodes and UIs, inviting brute force and remote exploits. Attackers can exfiltrate job data, alter processing, or pivot into the VPC, degrading confidentiality, integrity, and availability through data theft, tampering, and service disruption.Recommendation
Keep EMR Block Public Access enabled and minimize exceptions; allow only required ports and restrict sources. Apply least privilege on security groups, place clusters in private subnets, and use bastion hosts or Session Manager. Combine with VPC controls and monitoring for defense in depth.Remediation
- CLI
- Terraform
- Native IaC
- Dashboard steps
References
- https://www.trendmicro.com/trendaivisiononecloudriskmanagement/knowledge-base/aws/EMR/block-public-access.html
- https://docs.aws.amazon.com/emr/latest/ManagementGuide/emr-block-public-access.html
- https://github.com/cloudmatos/matos/tree/master/remediations/aws/emr/block-emr-public-access
Where this check fires
This check runs on every scheduled scan against your AWS account. Findings appear at Cloud Security → Findings filterable byCheck ID = emr_cluster_account_public_block_enabled. To re-evaluate after a fix, hit Run now on the account’s schedule under Cloud Security → Schedules — the next scan re-checks this control and marks the finding fixed or keeps it persistent.
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