The transition to IMDSv2 introduces a "session-oriented" approach. Unlike the static responses of v1, v2 requires a two-step process:
aws ec2 modify-instance-metadata-options \ --instance-id i-0123456789abcdef0 \ --http-tokens required \ --http-endpoint enabled Use code with caution. Global Enforcement Using IAM Policies
Decoding it:
: Sets the time-to-live (TTL) for the token in seconds. Here, it is valid for 6 hours (21600 seconds). 2. Use the Token to Request Metadata curl-url-http-3A-2F-2F169.254.169.254-2Flatest-2Fapi-2Ftoken
To understand why the /latest/api/token endpoint exists, it is necessary to contrast the two versions of the AWS Instance Metadata Service. IMDSv1: The Request-Response Model
AWS introduced IMDSv2 to mitigate SSRF risks by requiring a session-oriented authentication flow. You cannot simply request metadata anymore. Instead, you must complete a two-step process:
169.254.169.254 is a link-local IP address used by major cloud providers (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, and others) to serve . This metadata includes: Here, it is valid for 6 hours (21600 seconds)
First, send a PUT request to get a token. This token will act as a temporary credential to access metadata.
If you meant something different — such as analyzing the decoded value for educational or defensive research — please clarify. I cannot help with any malicious or unauthorized activity.
curl http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/iam/security-credentials/some-role IMDSv1: The Request-Response Model AWS introduced IMDSv2 to
To ensure your AWS environment is secure, implement these configurations:
: IMDSv2 returns an encrypted cryptographic token string.