Environment variables in Lambda in AWS - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What are environment variables in AWS Lambda?

Environment variables in AWS Lambda are key-value pairs that you can set to store configuration settings. They help your function access settings without hardcoding them in the code.

beginner

How do environment variables improve Lambda function management?

They let you change settings like database URLs or API keys without changing the code. This makes your function easier to update and more secure.

intermediate

Can environment variables in Lambda be encrypted? If yes, how?

Yes, Lambda supports encrypting environment variables using AWS Key Management Service (KMS). This keeps sensitive data like passwords safe.

beginner

How can you access environment variables inside a Lambda function?

Inside your Lambda code, you can read environment variables using standard methods. For example, in Node.js, use process.env.VARIABLE_NAME.

intermediate

What is a best practice when using environment variables in Lambda?

Avoid putting sensitive data directly in environment variables unless encrypted. Use AWS KMS encryption and restrict access with IAM roles.

What is the main purpose of environment variables in AWS Lambda?

A Increase the memory of the Lambda function

B Store configuration settings separately from code

C Control the number of Lambda executions

D Manage user permissions

Environment variables store configuration settings separately from code, making it easier to manage and update.

How can you secure sensitive environment variables in Lambda?

A Encrypt them using AWS KMS

B Store them in plain text

C Hardcode them in the Lambda function

D Disable environment variables

AWS KMS encryption protects sensitive environment variables from unauthorized access.

Which of the following is a correct way to access an environment variable named 'API_KEY' in Node.js Lambda code?

A lambda.env.API_KEY

B env.API_KEY

C process.env.API_KEY

D getEnv('API_KEY')

In Node.js, environment variables are accessed using process.env.VARIABLE_NAME.

What happens if you update an environment variable in Lambda?

A The new value is used in the next function invocation

B The function crashes immediately

C The old value remains forever

D The Lambda function restarts automatically

Updated environment variables take effect on the next invocation of the Lambda function.

Which AWS service is used to encrypt Lambda environment variables?

A Amazon EC2

B Amazon S3

C AWS CloudTrail

D AWS Key Management Service (KMS)

AWS KMS is the service used to encrypt and manage keys for Lambda environment variables.

Explain what environment variables are in AWS Lambda and why they are useful.

Think about how you might keep your app settings outside the code.

Describe how to securely manage sensitive data using environment variables in Lambda.

Focus on encryption and access control.