Connecting to EC2 instances in AWS - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is the primary method to securely connect to an EC2 instance running Linux?

Using SSH (Secure Shell) with a private key file (.pem) that matches the public key set during instance creation.

beginner

What file permission should the private key (.pem) have before using it to connect to an EC2 instance?

The private key file should have permissions set to 400 (read-only for the owner) to ensure security and allow SSH to use it.

beginner

Which protocol and port must be allowed in the EC2 security group to connect via SSH?

Protocol: TCP, Port: 22 must be allowed in the security group inbound rules to enable SSH connections.

beginner

How do you connect to a Windows EC2 instance remotely?

Use Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) with the instance's public IP and the Administrator password retrieved from the EC2 console using the private key.

beginner

Why is it important to use a key pair when launching an EC2 instance?

The key pair provides a secure way to authenticate your access to the instance without using passwords, enhancing security.

Which command is used to connect to a Linux EC2 instance using SSH?

A rdp -i mykey.pem ec2-user@ec2-public-ip

B ssh -i mykey.pem ec2-user@ec2-public-ip

C connect -key mykey.pem ec2-user@ec2-public-ip

D ssh ec2-user@localhost

SSH with the -i option specifies the private key file to connect securely to the EC2 instance.

What port must be open in the security group to allow SSH access?

A 3389

B 80

C 22

D 443

Port 22 is the default port for SSH connections.

How do you retrieve the Administrator password for a Windows EC2 instance?

A Decrypt it using your private key in the EC2 console.

B You set it during instance launch.

C Use the default password 'admin'.

D It is emailed to you automatically.

The password is encrypted and must be decrypted with your private key in the EC2 console.

What is the recommended permission setting for your private key file before connecting?

A 777

B 644

C 000

D 400

Permission 400 ensures only the owner can read the private key, which is required for SSH security.

Which protocol is used to connect to a Windows EC2 instance remotely?

A RDP

B FTP

C SSH

D HTTP

RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) is used to connect to Windows instances.

Explain the steps to connect to a Linux EC2 instance from your local computer.

Think about the command and network settings needed.

Describe how to connect to a Windows EC2 instance and retrieve the password.

Focus on password retrieval and protocol used.