When you use roles, AWS provides temporary, rotating credentials via the Instance Metadata Service (IMDS), which are never stored in a static file on the disk. 3. Enforce IMDSv2

to navigate out of the intended directory and into sensitive system folders like The Impact : Stolen credentials can lead to full AWS account takeover

Marcus picked up the phone. Dialed the NOC. No dial tone.

The credentials file should be kept secure and not shared with anyone. Access to this file should be controlled using file system permissions.

: This is a common pattern used in "Capture The Flag" competitions or by security researchers. Malicious Activity

To mitigate and prevent the exploitation of this vulnerability: