S3 TokenRefreshRequired error encountered when accessing S3.

What is S3 TokenRefreshRequired error encountered when accessing S3.

Understanding Amazon S3

Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3) is a scalable object storage service provided by AWS. It is designed to store and retrieve any amount of data from anywhere on the web. S3 is commonly used for backup and archiving, content storage and distribution, and data lakes.

Identifying the TokenRefreshRequired Symptom

When interacting with Amazon S3, you might encounter the TokenRefreshRequired error. This error typically manifests when an application or user attempts to access S3 resources and the authentication token used is no longer valid.

Common Observations

Access to S3 resources is denied. Error message indicating that the token needs to be refreshed. Frequent authentication failures in logs.

Explaining the TokenRefreshRequired Issue

The TokenRefreshRequired error occurs when the temporary security credentials used to authenticate requests to S3 have expired. AWS uses temporary credentials to enhance security by limiting the duration of access. These credentials include an access key ID, a secret access key, and a session token.

Why Tokens Expire

Temporary credentials are issued with a limited lifespan to reduce the risk of unauthorized access. Once expired, any attempt to use them will result in a TokenRefreshRequired error.

Steps to Fix the TokenRefreshRequired Issue

To resolve this issue, you need to refresh the token and retry the request. Here are the steps to do so:

Step 1: Obtain New Temporary Credentials

Use the AWS Security Token Service (STS) to obtain new temporary credentials. You can do this using the AWS CLI:

aws sts assume-role --role-arn "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:role/example-role" --role-session-name "example-session"

This command will return a new set of temporary credentials.

Step 2: Update Your Application or Environment

Replace the expired credentials in your application or environment with the new credentials obtained from the previous step. Ensure that the access key ID, secret access key, and session token are updated.

Step 3: Retry the Request

Once the credentials are updated, retry the request to access the S3 resources. The request should now succeed if the credentials are correctly refreshed.

Additional Resources

For more information on managing temporary credentials and using AWS STS, refer to the following resources:

AWS Temporary Security Credentials AWS CLI Command Reference: assume-role Amazon S3 Overview