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AWS For Beginners: How Do You Log In to AWS EC2 Instances?

By: Author Alex Lim

Posted on

Categories Exam

Learn how to log in to AWS EC2 instances using key pairs and SSH. This guide explains secure access methods for connecting to your EC2 instances, essential for AWS beginners preparing for certification.

Question

How do you login to AWS EC2 instances?

A. Using Key Pair
B. SSH
C. Both a and b
D. None

Answer

C. Both A and B

Explanation

To log in to an Amazon EC2 instance, you typically use both a key pair and SSH. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the process:

Key Pair Authentication

  • A key pair consists of a public key stored on the EC2 instance and a private key kept securely by the user.
  • When you launch an EC2 instance, you associate it with a key pair. The public key is embedded into the instance, while the private key is used for authentication during login.
  • If you’re connecting to a Linux instance, the private key file (e.g., .pem) is required to establish a secure connection via SSH1.

Secure Shell (SSH) Protocol

SSH is the protocol used to log in remotely to your EC2 instance. It provides a secure channel over an unsecured network.

To connect, you run an SSH command in your terminal or use an SSH client like PuTTY (for Windows). The command typically looks like this:

ssh -i "your-key.pem" ec2-user@your-instance-public-ip

The -i flag specifies your private key file, while ec2-user is the default username for Amazon Linux instances (other distributions like Ubuntu may use ubuntu).

Why Both Are Required?

  • Key Pair: Ensures only authorized users can access the instance by verifying their identity.
  • SSH Protocol: Establishes the secure connection needed to interact with the instance.

Additional Notes

  • For Windows instances, the private key is used to decrypt an administrator password, which is then used for Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) access instead of SSH1.
  • AWS also offers alternatives like EC2 Instance Connect or Systems Manager Session Manager for connecting without managing SSH keys.

By combining key pairs and SSH, AWS ensures robust security and ease of access for EC2 instances. This dual approach is critical knowledge for beginners aiming to pass AWS certification exams.

AWS For Beginners certification exam assessment practice question and answer (Q&A) dump including multiple choice questions (MCQ) and objective type questions, with detail explanation and reference available free, helpful to pass the AWS For Beginners exam and earn AWS For Beginners certification.