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About Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS)

The Amazon EKS connector gathers cluster, node group, add-on, and access entry metadata exposed through the EKS AWS API (distinct from Kubernetes RBAC inside the data plane). Authentication is sts:AssumeRole into a customer role with eks:Describe* / eks:List* coverage.

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How It Works

Iru runs in its own AWS account. To read Amazon EKS cluster and add-on metadata in your account, you create an IAM role with sts:AssumeRole trust (wizard External ID) and read-only permissions on the eks:, ec2:, and related APIs your security team approves. Paste the role’s ARN back into Iru. There is no single AWS-managed “EKS read-only everything” policy for every API surface - start from the inline JSON below unless your platform team publishes a curated variant.
DetailValue
CategoryKubernetes control plane
AuthenticationCross-account IAM role

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Prerequisites

  • IAM rights to manage roles.
  • At least one EKS cluster if you expect immediate inventory.

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Connect AWS EKS to Iru

Start here: open the source wizard and copy the trust policy (and note the external ID). When you are ready to create the role in AWS, switch to the AWS tab and follow Create the IAM role in AWS. After you have the Role ARN, return to the Iru Compliance tab and complete Submit the role ARN in Iru below.

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Get the trust policy from Iru

1

Open Sources

In Iru Compliance, on the left navigation bar, expand Compliance and select Sources.
Left navigation: Compliance expanded, Sources selected
2

Turn on AWS EKS

Find AWS EKS (use Category or Search by name or description). On that card, turn on the toggle. Leave the Iru is requesting access to external services wizard tab open.
3

Copy the trust policy JSON

The wizard shows the trust policy JSON your IAM role must use (Principal and sts:ExternalId). Below is an example of the structure; copy the live JSON from your wizard so the account, principal ARN, and external ID match exactly.
copy=false
{
  "Version": "2012-10-17",
  "Statement": [
    {
      "Effect": "Allow",
      "Principal": {
        "AWS": "arn:aws:iam::753695775620:role/IruConnect"
      },
      "Condition": {
        "StringEquals": {
          "sts:ExternalId": "YOUR_EXTERNAL_ID"
        }
      },
      "Action": "sts:AssumeRole"
    }
  ]
}
4

Switch to AWS to create the role

Keep the Iru wizard tab open for reference, then switch to the AWS tab and follow Create the IAM role in AWS.

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Submit the role ARN in Iru

Finish the AWS tab first (through Create the IAM role in AWS) so you have the Role ARN from the new role.
1

Paste the IAM Role ARN

Return to the Iru wizard tab. Paste the Role ARN where the connector prompts for it.
2

Finish the connection

Click Submit Role. When the connection succeeds, the wizard shows Connection Configured.
3

Confirm the source is Active

Close the Iru is requesting access to external services browser tab, then return to Compliance → Sources and confirm the AWS EKS card is Active.

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Troubleshooting

Check pop-up blocker settings for the Iru site and try again.
External ID mismatch.
New EKS APIs appear frequently - wildcards keep policies forward-compatible; tighten only with testing.

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Considerations

This covers AWS-side EKS APIs: pod-level evidence…

This covers AWS-side EKS APIs - pod-level evidence still belongs to Kubernetes auditing/logging pipelines.

Sources Management

Browse and manage every Compliance source.

Getting Started With Compliance

Frameworks, actions, and Artifacts.

Iru Overview

How Endpoint, Compliance, and Identity fit together.

Artifacts Management

Upload, review, and organize evidence from sources and actions.