Access Key
A set of credentials used to authenticate and authorize requests to AWS services.
Description
In the context of Amazon Web Services (AWS), an Access Key consists of two parts: an Access Key ID and a Secret Access Key. These keys are used to sign programmatic requests to AWS services, ensuring that the requests are securely authenticated. Access Keys are essential for users and applications that interact with AWS via the command line, SDKs, or APIs. They enable users to perform actions such as creating or deleting resources, managing security, and accessing data. AWS recommends using IAM roles and temporary security credentials for applications running on Amazon EC2 instances, as this enhances security by limiting the use of long-term Access Keys. It's crucial to manage Access Keys carefully, including rotating them regularly and deleting any that are no longer needed, to mitigate the risk of unauthorized access to AWS accounts and resources.
Examples
- An application using the AWS SDK for Python (Boto3) to upload files to an S3 bucket requires an Access Key to authenticate the requests.
- A developer uses Access Keys to set up a continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipeline that deploys applications to AWS Elastic Beanstalk.
Additional Information
- Access Keys should never be hardcoded in applications; instead, consider using environment variables or AWS Secrets Manager.
- AWS provides tools like IAM Access Analyzer to help assess the permissions associated with Access Keys and ensure they follow the principle of least privilege.