How Does Aws Generate Secret Keys
Learn how to create access keys in AWS with screenshots. Also see how to make access key active, inactive and delete.
Aws Generate Secret Key
Security is top priority when you are using cloud services. Username/password is primitive form of security we used for account security. Since technology has evolved and automation took over the day today activities, manual work has been transformed into API calls. Many things gets its work done by making API calls to respected services.
In cloud, once service gets connected to another service with API Calls. API calls also needs to get authenticated across services so that your cloud infra stays secure. For that AWS uses access keys which can be supplied to source service to get it authenticated at destination service and complete API calls. Now, question is where are my access keys in AWS? Where to create access keys in AWS? In this article we will see how to create, make active, make inactive and delete access keys in AWS.
How to create access keys in AWS?
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a market leader in Cloud Storage, so know you are safe making the Cloud Platform transition with them. In this article, we are going to take a look at getting started with AWS, finding your Access and Secret Access Key, and getting the necessary coding tools set up. In this video, learn how to generate a new set of keys for your account. Access and secret keys allow you to use AWS APIs and services. In this video, learn how to generate a new set of keys for.
Login to your AWS console and navigate to this IAM dashboard part. This page helps you to manage your security credentials like password, MFA, access keys, certificates etc. Expand ‘Access Keys (Access Key ID and Secret Access Key)‘ and you will see space to create new access keys like below.
Here, click on button ‘Create New Access Key‘. Once clicked your access key pair will be generated automatically. Each access key pair consist of access key ID and secret access key. Access key ID will be visible to you in your account all the time (like you can see it in above screenshot). But, secret access key is visible only time of creation for security purpose. You also have choice to download secret access key file. But apart from this file and time of creation you wont be able to see/retrieve this key. Its your duty to keep it safe. After hitting create keys button you will see below screen :
Both keys can be reveled to copy and save, by clicking ‘Show Access Key‘ link in above dialogue box. Keys will be shown to you in plain text like below :
You can also opt to save this key pair. Click Download Key File button. You key pair will be downloaded as rootkey.csv file. Inside CSV file, key pair is in plain text format like stated below.
| AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJAF2XYBVMIH7J5LA |
| AWSSecretKey=X5jXaDRGXd0vtEOEkRodpWC34MvSnTP7LbiE+8Kf |
Thats it! Your access key pair is ready to be used in AWS services. For example we used access keys while mounting S3 bucket on Linux server.
How to make access key inactive?
Your existing key pairs you must be using in some services. But sometimes they are sitting idle there since you havnt used them. Sometimes, you need to stop access of service which was using key pair. In such cases, its best to make that key pair inactive. So that access of service using that key pair will be paused. This might be useful in troubleshooting as well.
To make access key inactive visit same security console in your AWS account and list all existing key pairs by expanding ‘Access Keys (Access Key ID and Secret Access Key)‘. Identify your required key and click ‘Make Inactive‘ link against it in last column named ‘Actions’.
Key status will turn inactive and all its authorizations will be paused. It can be verified in column named status against it.
How to make access key active?
How Does Aws Generate Secret Keys On Youtube
For all keys which are inactive in state will have ‘Make Active’ link against them in last ‘Actions’ column. You have to click it to make them active again.
How to delete access key?
Under Actions column you will also see Delete link besides active/inactive one. This is to be used when you want to delete access key.
It will confirm you like above screenshot before deleting. Deleting key will still keep it in dashboard listing with status as ‘delete’ but you wont be able to use it in future.