Assuming roles for temporary access in AWS - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is the main purpose of assuming a role in AWS?

Assuming a role allows a user or service to temporarily gain permissions defined by that role, enabling secure and controlled access without sharing long-term credentials.

beginner

What AWS service is commonly used to assume roles for temporary credentials?

AWS Security Token Service (STS) is used to assume roles and provide temporary security credentials.

intermediate

What is the maximum duration for temporary credentials when assuming a role using AWS STS?

The maximum duration is 12 hours by default, but it can be shorter or longer (up to 12 hours) depending on the role's session duration setting.

intermediate

How does assuming a role improve security compared to using long-term IAM user credentials?

It reduces risk by limiting the time credentials are valid and avoids sharing permanent access keys, making it easier to manage and revoke access.

beginner

What is a trust policy in the context of AWS roles?

A trust policy defines which entities (users, services, accounts) are allowed to assume the role.

Which AWS service provides temporary credentials when assuming a role?

A Amazon S3

B AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM)

C AWS CloudTrail

D AWS Security Token Service (STS)

AWS STS issues temporary credentials when you assume a role.

What is the maximum default session duration for an assumed role?

A 12 hours

B 1 hour

C 24 hours

D 7 days

The maximum session duration for an assumed role is 12 hours by default.

What does a trust policy specify in an IAM role?

A Which entities can assume the role

B Which actions the role can perform

C The password policy for users

D The billing details for the account

A trust policy defines who can assume the role.

Why is assuming roles preferred over sharing long-term IAM user credentials?

A Because roles have unlimited access

B Because roles do not require permissions

C Because temporary credentials reduce security risks

D Because IAM users cannot access AWS services

Temporary credentials limit exposure and reduce security risks.

Which of the following is NOT a benefit of using temporary credentials from assuming roles?

A No need to rotate long-term access keys

B Permanent access without expiration

C Automatic expiration of credentials

D Fine-grained access control

Temporary credentials expire and do not provide permanent access.

Explain how assuming roles works in AWS and why it is useful for temporary access.

Think about how you can get short-term permissions without sharing passwords.

Describe the role of a trust policy in the process of assuming a role.

It controls who is trusted to use the role.