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AWS Console Access

Secure remote access to the AWS Console

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You can enable secure remote access to AWS with a Dynamic Secret that generates ephemeral credentials for AWS or a Rotated Secret. Users can then access AWS from the Secure Remote Access Portal, either over the web or using the native AWS CLI.

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Note

Use Akeyless Connect command to access the AWS Console from any UNIX terminal.

Prerequisites

To enable secure remote access to AWS you need:

In addition, for users to access the AWS Console using the CLI, you need:

Create an AWS Secret

If you don't already have an AWS secret, see the following docs to either create a Dynamic Secret or Rotated Secret that specifies the AWS account details and access credentials.

If you already have a relevant secret, continue below.

Set Up Remote Access to the AWS Console from the Akeyless CLI

Let's set up remote access to the AWS Console using the Akeyless CLI. If you’d prefer, see how to do this from the Akeyless Console instead.

Run the relevant command to define the following fields to the secret that specifies the AWS account details and access credentials:

akeyless dynamic-secret update aws \
--name <dynamic secret name> \
--secure-access-enable true \
--secure-access-aws-account-id <AWS account id> \
--secure-access-aws-native-cli <true/false> \
--secure-access-certificate-issuer </Path/to/SSH/Cert/Issuer>

akeyless rotated-secret update aws \
--name <rotated secret name> \
--secure-access-enable true \
--secure-access-aws-account-id <AWS account id> \
--secure-access-aws-native-cli <true/false> \
--secure-access-certificate-issuer </Path/to/SSH/Cert/Issuer> \
--rotate-after-disconnect <true|false>

where:

  • secure-access-aws-account-id: The AWS account ID, as defined in the dynamic secret.
  • secure-access-aws-region: Optional, only required to enable CLI access. the AWS region the user is permitted to access.
  • secure-access-aws-native-cli: Optional, specifies to use the native AWS CLI wrapper.
  • secure-access-certificate-issuer: Optional, only required to enable CLI access. The path to the SSH certificate issuer that should be used for certificate authentication.
  • rotate-after-disconnect: Optional for Rotated Secret. Rotate the secret value when the SRA session ends.

By default, access to the AWS portal will use a direct network access mode. To work with Akeyless Web Access for session isolation or as a secure proxy entry point, please set one of the following:

  • secure-access-web-browsing: Optional, secure browser via Akeyless Web Access Zero trust Web Access.

Alternatively, in case you prefer to work with the Akeyless bastions as a proxy entry point, set this parameter as true:

  • secure-access-web-proxy: Optional, web-proxy via Akeyless Zero trust Web Access.

Set Up Remote Access to the AWS Console from the Akeyless Console

Let's set up remote access to the AWS Console from the Akeyless Console. If you'd prefer, see how to do this from the Akeyless CLI instead.

  1. Log in to the Akeyless Console and go to Items.

  2. Select the dynamic secret that specifies the AWS details and access credentials.

  3. Click on the Secure Remote Access tab, select the pencil icon and enable Secure Remote Access, then fill in the following fields:

  • AWS Account ID : The AWS account ID, as defined in the dynamic secret.
  • Rotate after disconnection: Optional for Rotated Secret. Rotate the secret value when the SRA session ends.

For Web Access, choose one of the following modes:

  • Direct connection: Default, using a direct connection to AWS portal via Akeyless Secure Remote Access.

  • Secure Web Browsing: Optional, secure web browsing over an isolated web browser available only with Zero Trust Web Access.

  • Secure Web Proxy: Optional, secure web proxy mode available only with Zero Trust Web Access.

For CLI Access:

  • Default Region: Optional, only required to enable CLI access, the AWS region the user is permitted to access.
  • Bastion Issuer: Optional, only required to enable CLI access. The path to the SSH certificate issuer that should be used for certificate authentication.
  • AWS Native CLI: Optional, specifies to use AWS CLI native wrapper.
  1. To the right of the Enable Secure Remote Access field, select the tick mark icon to save your changes.

Access the AWS Console over the Web from the Secure Remote Access Portal

  1. Log in to the Secure Remote Access Portal and select AWS Console.

  2. Select the required target, then select Web.
    A new tab opens to the AWS Console sign-in page, and Akeyless injects the credentials generated by the dynamic secret for the temporary user.

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Info

The temporary user is created when you request access to the AWS Console. As this may take a few seconds, please wait a few seconds for the credentials to be injected before you try sign in.

Access the AWS Console Using CLI from the Secure Remote Access Portal

  1. Log in to the Secure Remote Access Portal and select AWS Console.

  2. Select the required target, then select CLI.
    A new tab opens, showing that you are connected to the AWS Console.

Access the AWS Console using Akeyless connect command

Akeyless Connect command enables application native CLI access:

akeyless connect -t <AWS Region> -g \<your-gateway-ip[:port]> -n "/path/to/AWS-dynamic-secret"

akeyless connect -t [user@]target/hostname/ip[:port] -g <your-gateway-ip[:port]>

Updated 10 days ago