FCSS_CDS_AR-7.6 · Question #29
A DevOps team is configuring Terraform to deploy Amazon Web Services (AWS) resources. They want to use environment variables to authenticate Terraform with AWS, while ensuring that the setup works…
The correct answer is B. AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY D. AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID. Terraform's AWS provider follows the standard AWS SDK credential chain and automatically reads AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID (D) and AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY (B) as the minimum required pair to authenticate - they function like a username and password respectively, identifying who you are and…
Question
A DevOps team is configuring Terraform to deploy Amazon Web Services (AWS) resources. They want to use environment variables to authenticate Terraform with AWS, while ensuring that the setup works across multiple developers' machines without exposing credentials in configuration files. Which two environment variables must the team configure, at a minimum, to allow Terraform to authenticate with AWS? (Choose two.)
Options
- AAWS_ROLE_ARN
- BAWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY
- CAWS_ACCOUNT_ID
- DAWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID
How the community answered
(29 responses)- A3% (1)
- B93% (27)
- C3% (1)
Explanation
Terraform's AWS provider follows the standard AWS SDK credential chain and automatically reads AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID (D) and AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY (B) as the minimum required pair to authenticate - they function like a username and password respectively, identifying who you are and proving it cryptographically.
AWS_ROLE_ARN (A) is used when you want Terraform to assume an IAM role after authenticating, not to authenticate directly - it's an optional escalation step, not a base requirement. AWS_ACCOUNT_ID (C) is simply an account identifier used in ARNs and console navigation; it plays no role in authentication and Terraform never requires it.
Memory tip: Think "ID + KEY = access granted" - you need the identity (ACCESS_KEY_ID) and the secret (SECRET_ACCESS_KEY) to get in the door, just like a username and password. Everything else is optional configuration on top.
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