Posted On: Jul 17, 2017
Now you can use AWS Directory Service for Microsoft Active Directory (Enterprise Edition), also known as AWS Microsoft AD, to build and run Active Directory (AD)–aware applications in the AWS Cloud that are subject to U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) or Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) compliance. AWS Microsoft AD reduces the effort required of you to deploy compliant AD infrastructure for your cloud-based applications, as you manage your own HIPAA risk management programs or PCI DSS compliance certification.
AWS Microsoft AD is a highly available managed AD service in the AWS Cloud that is built on actual Windows Server 2012 R2. It enables you to use your existing on-premises AD infrastructure without having to configure and maintain domain controllers or synchronize identities. With this release, AWS Microsoft AD has implemented the controls necessary to enable you to meet HIPAA requirements and is included as an in-scope service in the PCI DSS Attestation of Compliance and Responsibility Summary.
Security, including HIPAA and PCI compliance, is a shared responsibility between AWS and you. For example, it is your responsibility to configure your AWS Microsoft AD password policies to meet PCI requirements when using AWS Microsoft AD. To learn more about the actions you may need to take to meet HIPAA and PCI compliance requirements, see the compliance documentation for AWS Microsoft AD, read the Architecting for HIPAA Security and Compliance on Amazon Web Services whitepaper, and see the AWS Cloud Compliance, HIPAA Compliance, and PCI DSS Compliance webpages. For a comprehensive list of access-controlled documents relevant to compliance and security in the AWS Cloud, see AWS Artifact.
To learn more about AWS Microsoft AD, see the Directory Service home page.