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Delegating Access Without Sharing Secrets in Cloud Computing

Learn about Delegating Access Without Sharing Secrets in this comprehensive Cloud Computing tutorial. The mechanics of temporary security credentials.

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1The Danger of Static Keys

IAM User Access Keys are permanent until manually deleted or rotated. This makes them a prime target for attackers. Leaked keys are the number one cause of cloud data breaches and unauthorized cryptomining.

2The Magic of STS

IAM Roles rely on the AWS Security Token Service (STS). When an entity assumes a role, STS dynamically generates temporary security credentials (an Access Key, Secret Key, and a Session Token) that automatically expire.

3Step-by-Step Breakdown

User Credentials. IAM Users use long-term credentials like passwords for the console or Access Keys for the CLI.

The Key Problem. Long-term keys are risky. If you accidentally commit them to GitHub, your account can be compromised in seconds.

Enter IAM Roles. Roles provide temporary, short-lived credentials. They are not associated with a specific person.

Assuming a Role. Entities (like EC2 instances, Lambda, or cross-account users) 'assume' a role to get permissions.

Trust Policies. Roles have two policies: a Permissions Policy (what they can do) and a Trust Policy (who can assume them).

Key Safety. What is the primary security advantage of using an IAM Role over an IAM User's access keys for an EC2 instance?

→Faster API calls
→Credentials are temporary and rotated automatically
→Roles don't cost money

Cross-Account Access. Roles are the standard way to grant users in Account A access to resources in Account B.

Federation (SSO). If you log in via corporate identities (Active Directory, Okta), you are assuming an IAM Role in the background.

Best Practice. Whenever an AWS service needs to interact with another AWS service, always use an IAM Role.

Completion. You now understand how to delegate access securely.

Pascual Vila

Frontend Instructor // Code Syllabus

Common Pitfalls & Errors

The Error //

Embedding long-lived IAM user access keys in an EC2 instance or Lambda function

aws ec2 associate-iam-instance-profile --instance-id i-1234567890abcdef0 \
  --iam-instance-profile Name=MyAppRole

The Solution //

A static access key baked into application code or an environment variable never rotates automatically and is a standing risk if the instance is compromised. Attach an IAM role to the EC2 instance or Lambda function instead — it provides temporary, auto-rotating credentials with no key management needed.

The Error //

Confusing a role's trust policy with its permissions policy

// Trust policy: WHO can assume this role
// Permissions policy: WHAT the role can do once assumed
aws iam update-assume-role-policy --role-name MyRole --policy-document file://trust-policy.json

The Solution //

A role has two separate policies: the trust policy defines who can assume the role, and the permissions policy defines what the role can do once assumed. Granting the wrong one (or forgetting to update the trust policy when a new service needs to assume the role) is a common source of confusing AccessDenied errors.