AWS Authentication

Configure AWS credentials for Terraform to create resources. Choose the method that fits your setup.

Option A: AWS CLI Profile (Recommended for Local Development)


# Configure a named profile
aws configure --profile internal-scanning
 
# You'll be prompted for:
# - AWS Access Key ID
# - AWS Secret Access Key
# - Default region (e.g., eu-west-1)
# - Default output format (json)
 
# Set the profile for your session
export AWS_PROFILE=internal-scanning
 
# Verify access
aws sts get-caller-identity

Option B: Environment Variables


export AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID="your-access-key"
export AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY="your-secret-key"
export AWS_REGION="eu-west-1"
 
# Verify access
aws sts get-caller-identity

Option C: AWS SSO (Recommended for Organizations)

If your organization uses AWS IAM Identity Center (SSO):


# Configure SSO
aws configure sso
 
# You'll be prompted for:
# - SSO start URL (e.g., https://your-org.awsapps.com/start)
# - SSO region
# - Account and role to use
 
# Login to SSO
aws sso login --profile your-sso-profile
 
# Set the profile
export AWS_PROFILE=your-sso-profile
 
# Verify access
aws sts get-caller-identity

Option D: IAM Role (for CI/CD Pipelines)

For automated deployments, use an IAM role with the necessary permissions. Configure your CI/CD platform to assume the role.

Verify Credentials

Regardless of method, always verify your credentials before proceeding:


# Should return your account ID, user/role ARN
aws sts get-caller-identity
 
# Expected output:
# {
#     "UserId": "AIDAXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX",
#     "Account": "123456789012",
#     "Arn": "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:user/your-user"
# }

Next Steps

Once authenticated, continue with the Terraform deployment guide.