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How to temporarily access an AWS account with STS

In complex cloud environments, setting up long-term roles with access often requires approvals from multiple teams, which can be time-consuming. To simplify this process, you can use a temporary Security Token (STS) to gain access to specific AWS resources without needing to create a permanent role.

Steps to Access AWS with a Temporary Security Token​

  1. Select AWS Security Token
    In the / Forensic Acquisition and Investigation platform, go to Import > AWS > Security Token.

    Security Token

  2. Enter the Resource ARN
    Provide the full Amazon Resource Name (ARN) of the AWS resource you want to import.

    ARN

  3. Grant Temporary Access via AWS CLI or a third party tool

You can generate a session token using the AWS CLI for a user or a role, or a third-party tool such as HashiCorp Vault:

Configure Token

A session token can be generated from a user. This action uses the permissions available in your local AWS CLI environment: Session

A session token can also be generated from a role: Role

Or a third party tool such as HashiCorp Vault: Hashicorp

Third party tool

Setting the Session Duration​

The maximum session duration for an STS token can be set between 1 hour and 12 hours. However, if you request a session longer than the maximum allowed by your administrator, the operation will fail. For example, if you request a 12-hour session but the administrator's limit is 6 hours, the token generation will not succeed.

More details on session duration limits can be found in the AWS documentation.