The AWS Shared Responsibility Model
Learn which security duties belong to AWS and which belong to you.
The AWS Shared Responsibility Model is a free AWS Security Academy lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 2 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the AWS Security Academy learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.
Splitting the Duties
The Shared Responsibility Model draws a clear line: AWS secures the cloud itself, and you secure what you put in the cloud. Learn this before anything else.
Security OF the Cloud
AWS handles security OF the cloud: data centers, hardware, networking, and the virtualization layer. You never patch a hypervisor or guard a building door.
Security IN the Cloud
You handle security IN the cloud: your data, identity, network rules, operating systems, and app code. Leave a bucket public and that is on you, not AWS.
The Line Moves by Service
The line shifts by service. On EC2 you manage the guest OS; with managed or serverless services AWS handles more. But your data and access are always yours.
IaaS, PaaS, and Beyond
IaaS like EC2 leaves you the most work: OS patching, firewalls, app security. Managed and serverless services move more of that to AWS.
Data Is Always Yours
No matter the service, you always own your data and who can access it. AWS never decides your bucket policies, permissions, or encryption for you.
Patching Responsibility
A classic exam trap: who patches what? On EC2 you patch the guest OS; AWS patches the host and hypervisor. Managed services flip more of that to AWS.
Inherited Controls
You inherit some controls from AWS — physical and environmental ones, backed by attestations like SOC reports. You then layer your own controls on top.
Configuration Is Your Job
AWS gives secure building blocks, but secure defaults are not guaranteed. Encryption may be available yet not enforced — turning it on is your job.
Why It Matters on the Exam
Many SCS-C02 questions ask who is at fault. Hardware or the global backbone? That is AWS. A permission, public resource, or unpatched OS? That is you.
Putting It Together
Think of it as a partnership with a firm boundary: AWS gives a secure foundation and proves it; you build securely on top with identity, encryption, and patching.
Quick Check
Apply the Shared Responsibility Model.
Recap
AWS secures the cloud (hardware, data centers, hypervisor); you secure what is in it (data, identity, network, guest OS). Most fault scenarios resolve here.
Frequently asked questions
Is the “The AWS Shared Responsibility Model” lesson free?
Yes — the full text of “The AWS Shared Responsibility Model” is free to read here on the web, and the AWS Security Academy course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the AWS Security Academy course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.
What will I learn in “The AWS Shared Responsibility Model”?
Learn which security duties belong to AWS and which belong to you. You practise AWS Security Academy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.
Do I need any experience to start AWS Security Academy?
No prior experience is required. AWS Security Academy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 2 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.
How long does the “The AWS Shared Responsibility Model” lesson take?
Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.
Can I write and run code in this AWS Security Academy lesson?
Yes. Every AWS Security Academy lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.
All lessons in this course
- What Cloud Security Means on AWS
- The AWS Shared Responsibility Model
- Security Pillars of the Well-Architected Framework
- Meeting the SCS-C02 Exam Domains