A secure infrastructure review should not feel like a compliance audit. It should help you answer a few simple questions: what do we run, how do we protect it, and where are we exposed? In 2026, good looks like clear architecture, tight access, visible change, and a path to recover quickly when something breaks. Visibility is key because if we cannot see it, we cannot secure it.

This guide outlines what we look for in a focused review and what a strong baseline looks like for modern cloud teams.

1. Start with the system map

If you cannot sketch your production architecture in a few minutes, you probably have blind spots.

What “good” looks like:

  • A simple diagram that shows public entry points, private services, and data stores.
  • A short list of critical dependencies (identity, DNS, CI/CD, logging).
  • Clear ownership for each major system.

Why it matters: Most security gaps appear where systems connect, not where they live. This connection is called “glue”.

Reference:

2. Confirm account-level guardrails

Good infrastructure starts with the basics. If account-level controls are weak, everything else is fragile.

Checks:

  • CloudTrail enabled in all regions.
  • Config enabled for key resources.
  • GuardDuty enabled and monitored.
  • Root access locked down with MFA and no access keys. (optionally, delegated and centralized to the management account)

References:

3. Review identity and access paths

Access is usually the highest risk area. A good review should be able to explain who can do what, and why.

Checks:

  • Humans use SSO and role-based access, not long-lived IAM users.
  • Admin access is limited to a small group and is easy to audit.
  • Service roles are used for workloads, not shared access keys.
  • Privilege boundaries or SCPs protect high-risk actions.

Reference:

4. Validate network exposure

Good infrastructure is quiet from the outside. Public endpoints should be intentional and minimal. This is a system’s digital footprint.

Checks:

  • Public services sit behind a load balancer or API gateway.
  • Private services stay private, with no public IPs or open SGs.
  • Egress is controlled for critical systems.
  • VPC Flow Logs are enabled for key VPCs.

References:

5. Inspect data protection

Data is the asset. A review should look for both storage security and access paths.

Checks:

  • Encryption at rest is enabled for core stores (S3, EBS, RDS).
  • Encryption in transit is enforced for public endpoints.
  • Access to sensitive data is scoped to roles, not shared credentials.
  • Backups exist and are tested.

Reference:

6. Confirm change visibility

If you cannot tell what changed, you cannot respond to a problem.

Checks:

  • Infrastructure is managed as code where possible.
  • Changes are logged and traceable to a person or pipeline.
  • Alerts exist for security-sensitive changes (IAM, logging, network).

References:

7. Review resilience and recovery

Availability is part of security. A system that cannot recover quickly is a business risk.

Checks:

  • RTO and RPO targets exist for critical systems.
  • Backups are automated and restored at least quarterly.
  • Multi-AZ is enabled where feasible.
  • A recovery runbook exists and has been tested.

Reference:

8. Look for cost and security drift

Unused resources and broad permissions often grow together. A review should identify the dead weight.

Checks:

  • Unused roles and access keys are removed.
  • Old AMIs and snapshots are pruned.
  • Security tools are tuned to reduce noise.

Reference:

9. Capture the output in a short plan

A review is only useful if it results in action.

Good output:

  • A short list of high-risk issues to fix first.
  • A few medium-term improvements that reduce future risk.
  • A clear owner and target date for each item.

Closing thought

A secure infrastructure review does not need to be heavy. It should give you clarity, confirm the basics, and surface the few fixes that actually change your risk profile. If the output is short and actionable, it is doing its job.

If you want a focused review of your cloud infrastructure, we can help. We will keep it practical and aligned to how your team works. Reach out through our consulting page to start a quick conversation.