May 17 2025

🔧 Step-by-Step: Build an Agent on AWS Bedrock

Category: AI,Information Securitydisc7 @ 10:28 pm

AWS diagram depicts a high-level architecture of this solution.

1. Prerequisites

  • AWS account with access to Amazon Bedrock
  • IAM permissions to use Bedrock, Lambda (if using function calls), and optionally Amazon S3, DynamoDB, etc.
  • A foundation model enabled in your region (e.g., Claude, Titan, Mistral, etc.)

2. Create a Bedrock Agent

Go to the Amazon Bedrock Console > Agents.

  1. Create Agent
    • Name your agent.
    • Choose a foundation model (e.g., Claude 3 or Amazon Titan).
    • Add a brief description or instructions (this becomes part of the system prompt).
  2. Add Knowledge Bases (Optional)
    • Create or attach a knowledge base if you want RAG (retrieval augmented generation).
    • Can point to documents in S3 or other sources.
  3. Add Action Groups (for calling APIs)
    • Define an action group (e.g., “Check Order Status”).
    • Choose Lambda function or provide OpenAPI spec for the backend service.
    • Bedrock will automatically generate function-calling logic.
    • Test with sample input/output.
  4. Configure Agent Behavior
    • Define how the agent should respond, fallback handling, and if it can make external calls.

3. Test the Agent

  • Use the Test Chat interface in the console.
  • Check:
    • Is the agent following instructions?
    • Are API calls being made when expected?
    • Is RAG retrieval working?

4. Deploy the Agent

  1. Create an alias (like a version)
  2. Use the InvokeAgent API or integrate with your app via:
    • SDK (Boto3, JavaScript, etc.)
    • API Gateway + Lambda combo
    • Amazon Lex (for voice/chat interfaces)


5. Monitor and Improve

  • Review logs in CloudWatch.
  • Fine-tune prompts or API integration as needed.
  • You can version prompts and knowledge base settings.

🛡️ Use Case: AI Compliance Assistant for GRC Teams

Goal

Automate compliance queries, risk assessments, and control mapping using a Bedrock agent with knowledge base and API access.


🔍 Scenario

An enterprise GRC team wants an internal agent to:

  • Answer policy & framework questions (e.g., ISO 27001, NIST, SOC 2).
  • Map controls to compliance frameworks.
  • Summarize audit reports or findings.
  • Automate evidence collection from ticketing tools (e.g., JIRA, ServiceNow).
  • Respond to internal team queries (e.g., “What’s the risk rating for asset X?”).

🔧 How to Build

1. Foundation Model

Use Anthropic Claude 3 (strong for reasoning and document analysis).

2. Knowledge Base

Load:

  • Security policies and procedures (PDFs, Word, CSV in S3).
  • Framework documentation mappings (ISO 27001 controls vs NIST CSF).
  • Audit logs, historical risk registers, previous assessments.

3. Action Group (Optional)

Integrate with:

  • JIRA API – pull compliance ticket status.
  • ServiceNow – fetch incident/evidence records.
  • Custom Lambda – query internal risk register or control catalog.

4. System Prompt Example

You are a compliance assistant for the InfoSec GRC team. 
You help answer questions about controls, risks, frameworks, and policy alignment. 
Always cite your source if available. If unsure, respond with "I need more context."

💡 Sample User Prompts

  • “Map access control policies to NIST CSF.”
  • “What evidence do we have for control A.12.1.2?”
  • “List open compliance tasks from JIRA.”
  • “Summarize findings from the last SOC 2 audit.”

🧩 What It Does

The Bedrock Agent helps GRC teams and auditors by:

  1. Answering ISO 27001 control questions
    • “What’s required for A.12.4.1 – Event logging?”
    • “Do we need an anti-malware policy for A.12.2.1?”
  2. Mapping controls to internal policies or procedures
    • “Map A.13.2.1 to our remote access policy.”
  3. Fetching evidence from internal systems
    • Via Lambda/API to JIRA, Confluence, or SharePoint.
  4. Generating readiness assessments
    • Agent uses a questionnaire format to determine compliance status by engaging the user.
  5. Creating audit-ready reports
    • Summarizes what controls are implemented, partially implemented, or missing.

🔗 Agent Architecture

Components:

  • Foundation Model: Claude 3 on Bedrock (contextual QA and reasoning)
  • Knowledge Base:
    • ISO 27001 control descriptions
    • Your org’s InfoSec policies (in S3)
    • Control mappings (CSV or JSON in S3)
  • Action Group / Lambda:
    • Integrate with ticketing (JIRA)
    • Evidence retrieval
    • Risk register querying

🗂️ Example Interaction

User:
“What controls address vendor management in ISO 27001?”

Agent:
“Clause A.15 covers supplier relationships. Specifically:

  • A.15.1.1 requires information security policy for supplier relationships.
  • A.15.2.2 requires monitoring and review of supplier services.

Our ‘Third-Party Risk Management Policy’ maps to these controls. Would you like to see the last vendor assessment from JIRA?”

🧠 Bonus: Prompt for the Agent

You are an ISO 27001 compliance analyst. Your task is to help the GRC team interpret ISO controls, map them to our internal documents, and assist with evidence collection for audits. Be accurate and concise. If a control is not implemented, offer suggestions.

What are the benefits of using AI agent in GRC field

The use of AI agents in the Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) field can provide several benefits, including:

  1. Automated Monitoring and Reporting: AI agents can continuously monitor various data sources, such as financial records, operational logs, and regulatory updates, to identify potential risks and compliance issues. This automated monitoring can help organizations stay up-to-date with changing regulations and promptly address any non-compliance or risk areas.
  2. Risk Analysis and Prediction: AI algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data and identify patterns that may indicate potential risks. By leveraging machine learning techniques, AI agents can predict future risks based on historical data and current trends, enabling organizations to take proactive measures to mitigate or prevent those risks.
  3. Compliance Management: AI agents can assist in interpreting and understanding complex regulatory requirements, ensuring that organizations remain compliant with relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards. They can also automate compliance processes, such as policy management, control testing, and reporting, reducing the risk of human error and increasing efficiency.
  4. Fraud Detection: AI algorithms can analyze transaction data, user behavior, and other relevant information to identify anomalies or patterns that may indicate fraudulent activities. This can help organizations detect and respond to fraud more quickly, minimizing financial losses and reputational damage.
  5. Continuous Improvement: AI agents can learn from the data they analyze and the actions taken by human experts, enabling them to continuously refine their models and improve their decision-making capabilities over time. This allows organizations to benefit from a constantly evolving and adapting GRC framework.
  6. Scalability and Efficiency: AI agents can process and analyze large volumes of data much faster and more efficiently than humans, enabling organizations to scale their GRC efforts without significantly increasing costs or resources.
  7. Centralized GRC Management: AI agents can provide a centralized platform for managing and integrating various GRC processes, enabling better collaboration, data sharing, and decision-making across different departments and functions within an organization.

While AI agents can provide significant benefits in the GRC field, it is important to note that they should be used in combination with human expertise and oversight. AI should not be viewed as a complete replacement for human decision-making but rather as a powerful tool to augment and enhance GRC processes.

What are the benefits of using AI agent in document management field

The use of AI agents in the document management field can provide several benefits, including:

  1. Automated document classification and categorization: AI agents can analyze the content of documents and automatically classify them based on predefined rules or machine learning models, making it easier to organize and retrieve relevant information.
  2. Intelligent search and retrieval: AI agents can improve search capabilities by understanding the context and semantics of documents, enabling more accurate and relevant search results.
  3. Extraction of key information: AI agents can be trained to extract specific types of information from documents, such as dates, names, addresses, or key phrases, which can be useful for various business processes or analytics.
  4. Data entry automation: AI agents can be employed to automatically extract data from documents and populate fields in databases or other systems, reducing the need for manual data entry and minimizing errors.
  5. Intelligent document routing and workflow management: AI agents can analyze the content of documents and automatically route them to the appropriate individuals or departments based on predefined rules or workflows, streamlining business processes.
  6. Compliance and risk management: AI agents can be trained to identify sensitive or confidential information in documents and apply appropriate access controls or redaction measures, helping organizations comply with regulations and mitigate risks.
  7. Intelligent document summarization: AI agents can automatically generate summaries or abstracts of lengthy documents, saving time and effort for users who need to quickly understand the key points.
  8. Automatic language translation: AI agents can translate documents from one language to another, facilitating cross-language communication and collaboration.
  9. Improved user experience: AI agents can provide intelligent suggestions, contextual guidance, or virtual assistance to users, enhancing their experience with document management systems.

Overall, the integration of AI agents in document management can lead to increased efficiency, improved accuracy, better organization, enhanced security, and more effective utilization of information resources within an organization.

What are the benefits of using AI agent in merger and acquisition field

The use of AI agents in the merger and acquisition (M&A) field can provide several benefits, including:

  1. Due diligence acceleration: AI agents can help streamline the due diligence process by rapidly analyzing large volumes of data, such as financial statements, contracts, and legal documents. This can help identify potential risks or opportunities more efficiently, saving time and resources.
  2. Target identification: AI algorithms can be trained to identify potential acquisition targets based on specific criteria, such as financial performance, market positioning, and strategic fit. This can help companies identify attractive targets more effectively and make informed decisions.
  3. Valuation analysis: AI agents can assist in valuing target companies by analyzing various financial and operational data points, as well as market trends and industry benchmarks. This can help companies make more accurate valuations and negotiate better deals.
  4. Integration planning: AI can be used to analyze the compatibility of systems, processes, and cultures between the acquiring and target companies. This can help identify potential integration challenges and develop strategies to address them, facilitating a smoother transition after the merger or acquisition.
  5. Synergy identification: AI algorithms can help identify potential synergies and cost-saving opportunities by analyzing data from both companies and identifying areas of overlap or complementarity. This can help maximize the value creation potential of the deal.
  6. Regulatory compliance: AI agents can assist in ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and laws during the M&A process by analyzing legal documents, contracts, and other relevant data.
  7. Predictive modeling: AI can be used to develop predictive models that estimate the potential outcomes and risks associated with a particular M&A transaction. This can help companies make more informed decisions and better manage risks.

It’s important to note that while AI agents can provide valuable insights and support, human expertise and decision-making remain crucial in the M&A process. AI should be used as a complementary tool to augment and enhance the capabilities of M&A professionals, rather than as a complete replacement.

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