AWS_CLI_Setup_Guide

Snippet Name: AWS_CLI_Setup_Guide

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Created Date: 2025-06-16 13:12:44
Last Modified Date: 2025-05-31 10:32:05

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Title: AWS CLI Setup Guide
Author: user
i have access to the AWS portal, can you help me configure the command line interface for AWS so i can use that?

Author: ChatGPT
Yes, I can help you set up the AWS Command Line Interface (CLI). Follow these steps:

### **Step 1: Install AWS CLI**
First, ensure you have the AWS CLI installed.

- **Windows**: Download and install from [AWS CLI Installer](https://aws.amazon.com/cli/)
- **Linux / macOS**: Install using the package manager:

  ```sh
  curl "https://awscli.amazonaws.com/AWSCLIV2.pkg" -o "AWSCLIV2.pkg"
  sudo installer -pkg AWSCLIV2.pkg -target /
  ```

  Or use `brew` on macOS:

  ```sh
  brew install awscli
  ```

  On Linux (Ubuntu/Debian):

  ```sh
  sudo apt update
  sudo apt install awscli -y
  ```

  On Linux (Amazon Linux, CentOS, RHEL):

  ```sh
  sudo yum install aws-cli -y
  ```

After installation, verify:

```sh
aws --version
```

### **Step 2: Configure AWS CLI**
Once installed, you need to configure the AWS CLI with your credentials.

1. **Retrieve AWS credentials**:
   - Log in to the AWS Management Console.
   - Navigate to **IAM (Identity and Access Management)**.
   - Create a new user or use an existing user with **programmatic access**.
   - Attach necessary permissions (AdministratorAccess or specific policies).
   - Download the **Access Key ID** and **Secret Access Key**.

2. **Run AWS Configure**:

   ```sh
   aws configure
   ```

   Enter the required details:

   ```
   AWS Access Key ID [None]: <Your Access Key ID>
   AWS Secret Access Key [None]: <Your Secret Access Key>
   Default region name [None]: <Your preferred region> (e.g., us-east-1)
   Default output format [None]: json (or table, text)
   ```

### **Step 3: Test AWS CLI**
Check your AWS account identity:

```sh
aws sts get-caller-identity
```

This should return your **Account ID, ARN, and User ID**, confirming successful authentication.

### **Step 4: (Optional) Set Up Profiles**
If you manage multiple AWS accounts, set up named profiles:

```sh
aws configure --profile my-profile
```

To use it:

```sh
aws s3 ls --profile my-profile
```

---

Let me know if you need help with specific AWS services or permissions! ????

Author: user
and how do i login

Author: ChatGPT
If your AWS CLI is configured with an access key and secret key, you **don???t need to explicitly log in**???AWS CLI automatically authenticates your requests. However, if you are using **IAM roles, SSO, or session-based authentication**, here???s how to log in based on your setup:

---

### **1?????? Check Your Credentials**
Run:

```sh
aws sts get-caller-identity
```

- If this returns your **AWS Account ID, ARN, and User ID**, you're already logged in.
- If not, follow one of the methods below.

---

### **2?????? Login Using IAM User (Access Key & Secret Key)**
If you haven???t configured AWS CLI yet, run:

```sh
aws configure
```

Enter:
- **AWS Access Key ID**
- **AWS Secret Access Key**
- **Default region** (e.g., `us-east-1`)
- **Output format** (`json`, `table`, or `text`)

---

### **3?????? Login Using AWS SSO (Single Sign-On)**
If your organization uses **AWS SSO**, log in with:

```sh
aws sso login
```

This will:
1. Open a browser window asking for your AWS SSO credentials.
2. After authentication, AWS CLI will store temporary credentials.
3. You can then use AWS CLI without needing access keys.

To check your SSO sessions:

```sh
aws sso list-accounts
```

If you have multiple AWS accounts, specify the profile:

```sh
aws sso login --profile my-profile
```

---

### **4?????? Login Using Temporary Security Credentials (STS)**
If you???re assuming an IAM role or using temporary credentials, get a session token:

```sh
aws sts get-session-token
```

This returns a response like:

```json
{
    "Credentials": {
        "AccessKeyId": "ASIA....",
        "SecretAccessKey": "wJalrXUtnFEMI...",
        "SessionToken": "FQoGZXIvYXdzEFsa...",
        "Expiration": "2025-03-18T12:34:56Z"
    }
}
```

Use these temporary credentials:

```sh
aws configure set aws_access_key_id ASIA...
aws configure set aws_secret_access_key wJalrXUtnFEMI...
aws configure set aws_session_token FQoGZXIvYXdzEFsa...
```

Check your identity again:

```sh
aws sts get-caller-identity
```

---

### **5?????? Logging in with a Named Profile**
If you???ve configured a profile (e.g., `my-profile`):

```sh
aws configure --profile my-profile
aws sso login --profile my-profile  # For SSO users
aws sts get-caller-identity --profile my-profile  # Verify login
```

---

### **What???s Next?**
- If you see errors like `ExpiredToken` or `InvalidClientTokenId`, your credentials might have expired. Re-run `aws configure` or `aws sso login`.
- If you need to switch roles, use `aws sts assume-role`.

Need help with a specific AWS service after login? ????

Author: user
An error occurred (InvalidClientTokenId) when calling the GetCallerIdentity operation: The security token included in the request is invalid

Author: ChatGPT
The error **"InvalidClientTokenId"** indicates that your AWS CLI is using incorrect, expired, or missing credentials. Let's troubleshoot and fix it.

---

### **1?????? Check If You Have Any AWS Credentials Configured**
Run:

```sh
aws configure list
```

It should return something like:

```
      Name                    Value            
      ----                    -----            
      access_key              ****************ABCD      
      secret_key              ****************XYZ    
      region                  us-east-1             
      profile                 default
```

???? **If access_key or secret_key is missing**, your credentials are not set up correctly. Skip to [Step 2](#2??????-reconfigure-aws-cli-credentials).

???? **If a session token exists, it might have expired**. Skip to [Step 3](#3??????-clear-old-session-token).

---

### **2?????? Reconfigure AWS CLI Credentials**
If your credentials are incorrect or missing, reconfigure them:

```sh
aws configure
```

Provide:
- **AWS Access Key ID**
- **AWS Secret Access Key**
- **Region** (e.g., `us-east-1`)
- **Output format** (`json`, `table`, or `text`)

Then verify:

```sh
aws sts get-caller-identity
```

---

### **3?????? Clear Old Session Token**
If you previously used **temporary security credentials (STS)**, the session token might have expired.

Check if a session token is present:

```sh
aws configure get aws_session_token
```

If a session token is set, remove it:

```sh
aws configure set aws_session_token ""
```

Then verify:

```sh
aws sts get-caller-identity
```

---

### **4?????? Use Correct AWS Profile (If Applicable)**
If you are using a named profile (e.g., `my-profile`), ensure you are specifying it:

```sh
aws configure list --profile my-profile
```

If needed, log in using SSO:

```sh
aws sso login --profile my-profile
```

Then verify:

```sh
aws sts get-caller-identity --profile my-profile
```

---

### **5?????? Confirm Your IAM User Has Correct Permissions**
Ensure your user has permissions for `sts:GetCallerIdentity`. If not, attach the **IAMFullAccess** policy or a custom policy like this:

```json
{
    "Effect": "Allow",
    "Action": "sts:GetCallerIdentity",
    "Resource": "*"
}
```

If you recently changed your permissions, wait a few minutes or log out and log back in.

---

### **6?????? If Everything Fails, Delete Credentials and Reconfigure**
As a last resort, reset your AWS CLI credentials:

```sh
rm -rf ~/.aws/credentials
aws configure
```

---

### **Final Check**
Once you???ve completed the above steps, test:

```sh
aws sts get-caller-identity
```

Let me know if you're still having issues! ????

Author: user
i am caught in a bit of a loop.  i get teh followint error again: An error occurred (InvalidClientTokenId) when calling the GetCallerIdentity operation: The security token included in the request is invalid.

Author: ChatGPT
It looks like your AWS CLI is still using an **expired** or **incorrect security token**. Let's fix this step by step:

---

## **???? Step 1: Identify and Remove Expired Session Token**
If you previously used **temporary credentials** (like with AWS STS or SSO), your **session token may have expired**. Run:

```sh
aws configure get aws_session_token
```

- **If a value is returned**, your CLI is still trying to use a session token.
- **If it's empty**, move to Step 2.

???? **Remove the expired token:**

```sh
aws configure set aws_session_token ""
```

Then, check your identity again:

```sh
aws sts get-caller-identity
```

---

## **???? Step 2: Reconfigure AWS CLI from Scratch**
If the issue persists, completely remove and reconfigure your AWS credentials.

### **1?????? Delete Existing Credentials**
Run:

```sh
rm -rf ~/.aws/credentials ~/.aws/config
```

Or, on Windows (PowerShell):

```powershell
Remove-Item -Recurse -Force $HOME\.aws\credentials
Remove-Item -Recurse -Force $HOME\.aws\config
```

### **2?????? Reconfigure AWS CLI**
Re-enter your credentials:

```sh
aws configure
```

Provide:
- **AWS Access Key ID**
- **AWS Secret Access Key**
- **Default region** (e.g., `us-east-1`)
- **Output format** (`json`, `table`, or `text`)

---

## **???? Step 3: Verify Credentials Are Set Correctly**
Check the stored credentials:

```sh
aws configure list
```

Output should look like:

```
      Name                    Value            
      ----                    -----            
      access_key              ****************ABCD      
      secret_key              ****************XYZ    
      region                  us-east-1             
      profile                 default
```

Then test:

```sh
aws sts get-caller-identity
```

---

## **???? Step 4: If Using AWS SSO, Re-Authenticate**
If your AWS account uses **AWS SSO**, you must log in using:

```sh
aws sso login
```

For a specific profile:

```sh
aws sso login --profile my-profile
```

Then confirm your account:

```sh
aws sts get-caller-identity --profile my-profile
```

---

## **???? Step 5: Ensure IAM User Has Proper Permissions**
Check that your IAM user or role has `sts:GetCallerIdentity` permissions.

Go to **AWS IAM Console** ??? **Users** ??? **Your User** ??? **Permissions**.

You should have **AdministratorAccess** or a policy that includes:

```json
{
    "Effect": "Allow",
    "Action": "sts:GetCallerIdentity",
    "Resource": "*"
}
```

---

## **??????? Step 6: If Using AWS Role, Assume Role Properly**
If you need to assume a role, use:

```sh
aws sts assume-role --role-arn "arn:aws:iam::ACCOUNT_ID:role/MyRole" --role-session-name "MySession"
```

Then manually configure temporary credentials:

```sh
aws configure set aws_access_key_id NEW_ACCESS_KEY
aws configure set aws_secret_access_key NEW_SECRET_KEY
aws configure set aws_session_token NEW_SESSION_TOKEN
```

Then test again:

```sh
aws sts get-caller-identity
```

---

## **???? Final Test**
If all steps are followed, this should now work:

```sh
aws sts get-caller-identity
```

Let me know what part is still failing, and we???ll troubleshoot further! ????

Author: user
ok, i am being prompted for an aws access key, which i thought was my 12 digit account id, and that the secret key is the what we just created in Security IAM

Author: ChatGPT
Your **AWS Access Key ID** and **Secret Access Key** are **not** the same as your 12-digit AWS Account ID. Instead, they are **generated specifically for programmatic access**. Here???s how to find or create them correctly:

---

## **1?????? Where to Find AWS Access Key & Secret Key**
1. Log in to **AWS Console**.
2. Navigate to **IAM (Identity and Access Management)**:
   - **Search for "IAM"** in the AWS search bar.
   - Click **IAM**.
3. In the left menu, click **Users**.
4. Select your IAM user (or create one if needed).
5. Go to the **Security credentials** tab.
6. Scroll down to the **Access keys** section.
   - If you see an **existing access key**, you can use it.
   - If not, click **Create access key** ??? **Download the key file**.
7. **Copy and save** the **Access Key ID** and **Secret Access Key**.

---

## **2?????? How to Configure AWS CLI with These Keys**
Once you have the **correct keys**, run:

```sh
aws configure
```

Enter:
- **AWS Access Key ID** (not your account ID)
- **AWS Secret Access Key** (from IAM)
- **Default region name** (e.g., `us-east-1`)
- **Default output format** (choose `json`, `table`, or `text`)

---

## **3?????? Verify That It Works**
Run:

```sh
aws sts get-caller-identity
```

Expected output:

```json
{
    "UserId": "AIDEXAMPLE1234567890",
    "Account": "123456789012",
    "Arn": "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:user/MyUser"
}
```

---

## **4?????? If You Don???t Have an Access Key Yet**
If you don???t have an **existing access key**:
- Follow [Step 1](#1??????-where-to-find-aws-access-key--secret-key) to create a new one.
- AWS **only allows two active access keys** per user. If you already have two, you may need to delete an old one.

---

### **???? Important Security Note**
- **Never share** your **AWS Access Key** and **Secret Key**.
- If a key is compromised, **delete it immediately** in the IAM console.

---

That should resolve the issue! Let me know if you need more help. ????

Author: user
i definitely see the Access key 1, and could generate an Access key 2 if needed. but i don't see a Secret Access Key

Author: ChatGPT
If you **already have an Access Key 1**, but **can't see the Secret Access Key**, that means AWS **only shows the Secret Key once** when it's first created. If you **didn't save it**, you'll need to create a new access key.

---

## **???? Solution: Create a New Access Key**
Since you can't retrieve the **Secret Access Key** for an existing access key, you must generate a new one.

### **1?????? Create a New Access Key**
1. **Log in** to the AWS **IAM Console**.
2. **Navigate to**: **IAM** ??? **Users** ??? **Select your user**.
3. Click on the **Security credentials** tab.
4. Scroll down to **Access keys**.
5. Click **Create access key**.
6. Choose **Command Line Interface (CLI)** and click **Next**.
7. **Copy & download** the **Access Key ID** and **Secret Access Key** (this is the only time you will see it).
8. Store it securely (e.g., in a password manager).

---

### **2?????? Delete the Old Access Key (Optional)**
If you no longer need the old key, it's best to delete it for security reasons.
1. Go to the **Access Keys** section in IAM.
2. Find the old **Access Key ID**.
3. Click **Actions ??? Delete**.

---

### **3?????? Configure AWS CLI with the New Credentials**
Run:

```sh
aws configure
```

Enter:
- **AWS Access Key ID** (from IAM)
- **AWS Secret Access Key** (from IAM)
- **Default region name** (e.g., `us-east-1`)
- **Default output format** (`json`, `table`, or `text`)

---

### **4?????? Verify That It Works**
Run:

```sh
aws sts get-caller-identity
```

If successful, it will return:

```json
{
    "UserId": "AIDEXAMPLE1234567890",
    "Account": "123456789012",
    "Arn": "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:user/MyUser"
}
```

---

That should resolve your issue! Let me know if you need more help. ????

Author: user
that was the issue. i did nto save the secret key when i first created the previous access key

Author: ChatGPT
Glad we figured it out! Since you generated a new access key and configured AWS CLI, you should be good to go. ???? 

For security, **make sure to delete the old access key** (if you're no longer using it). You can do this in the IAM console under **Access Keys** ??? **Delete**.

Now you can start using AWS CLI. Let me know if you need help with any AWS commands! ????


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