Request-url-http-3a-2f-2f169.254.169.254-2flatest-2fmeta Data-2fiam-2fsecurity Credentials-2f Updated Official

Never give an EC2 instance more permissions than it absolutely needs. If a server is compromised, "Least Privilege" limits the damage an attacker can do with the stolen tokens.

The URL is likely used in the context of an AWS EC2 instance. When an EC2 instance starts, it can access its metadata through a special IP address ( 169.254.169.254 ) without needing any authentication. The metadata service provides information about the instance and, importantly, temporary security credentials that the instance can use to access AWS services. Never give an EC2 instance more permissions than

http://169.254.169 provides temporary security credentials for AWS EC2 instances via the IAM role attached to the server. While useful for avoiding hardcoded credentials, this endpoint presents a significant Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) risk if not properly secured. To mitigate risks, it is crucial to adopt Instance Metadata Service Version 2 (IMDSv2), which requires a session token, and to follow the principle of least privilege for IAM roles. You can find more information about securing EC2 metadata on the AWS website. When an EC2 instance starts, it can access