How to Create Access Key Credentials in AWS?

Creating access key credentials in AWS involves generating an access key for an IAM user. These credentials can be used to programmatically access AWS services, and they consist of an access key ID and a secret access key. Here’s how to create them:

Sign in to the AWS Management Console:

• Navigate to the AWS Management Console and sign in as an AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) user or AWS account root user.

Access the IAM Dashboard:

• In the services list, click on “Services” and then select “IAM” to access the IAM dashboard.

Navigate to Users:

• On the left navigation pane, click on “Users”.
• Choose the name of the IAM user that you want to create an access key for. If you don’t have an IAM user, create one.

Create New Access Key:

• In the “User details” page, click on the “Security credentials” tab.y
• In the “Access keys” section, click on the “Create access key” button.

View and Save the Access Key Credentials:

• When you create an access key, the response includes both the access key ID and the secret access key. This is the only time you can view or download the secret access keys,
  and you cannot recover them later.
• You can either:

1. Click on “Download .csv” to download the access key ID and secret access key, or
2. Click on “Show” to view the secret access key.

It’s crucial to save these keys securely. If lost, they cannot be retrieved again. However, you can always create new access keys if necessary.

Secure and Manage Your Access Keys:

• Always keep your secret access key confidential to protect your AWS resources.
• Rotate access keys periodically. If you have an application using an access key, make sure to update the application to use the new key and then deactivate the old key.
• Do not embed access keys directly into code. Instead, use IAM roles for Amazon EC2 or leverage SDKs that can retrieve temporary credentials from IAM roles.

Note: The AWS root account access keys provide full access to all resources in the account, including billing information. It’s a best practice not to use the root account access keys. Instead, create individual IAM users, grant them the necessary permissions, and use their credentials. Always avoid using the root user for routine tasks.