AWS Access Keys

Access Keys are used to sign the requests you send to Amazon S3. Like the Username/Password pair you use to access your AWS Management Console, Access Key Id and Secret Access Key are used for programmatic (API) access to AWS services.

You can manage your Access Keys in AWS Management Console.

In this article we will describe two types of Access Keys

Root Access Keys

Root Access Keys provide unlimited access to your AWS resources. It's not recommended to use them in normal situations. AWS recommends to delete existing Root Access Keys and create IAM user and Access Keys limited to specific service or resource (see below).

To Delete Root Access Keys

1. Type https://aws.amazon.com/ in your web browser

2. Click My Account, AWS Management Console

   

3. Enter your account email address and password:

   

   

4. Type the IAM in the search box and choose the IAM service from the drop-down list.

   

   You will be redirected to IAM Dashboard

   

5. Navigate to Security Status and expand the Delete your root access keys section.

6. Click Manage Security Credentials

   

7. Click Continue to Security Credentials

   Your Security Credentials page will open

   

8. Expand the Access Keys (access key id and secret access key) section

9. Click the Delete link next to your access keys row.

   

10. Confirm Access Keys deletion.

    

11. Your Root Access Keys are deleted. Now you can create IAM user and Access Keys limited to specific service or resource (see below).

Be sure to replace your root access keys with your IAM access keys in any programs/scripts you are currently using.

IAM Access Keys

To create IAM user and Access Keys:

1. Open IAM Dashboard as described above and navigate to Users

2. Click Add User

   

   Add User Wizard will open:

   

3. Specify User Name (any user name of your choice).

4. Check Programmatic Access

5. Click Next: Permissions

   Permissions page will open:

   

6. Click Attach Existing policies directly

7. Type s3 in the Filter field.

8. Check AmazonS3FullAccess policy

9. Click Next: Review

   Review tab will open:

   

10. Review new user details and click Create User

    The final page will open:

    

11. Click Show under the Secret access key column

    

12. Copy Access key ID and Secret access key into the safe place.

You can now use your access keys to mount Amazon S3 bucket.