Is not authorized to perform: sts:assumerole is a common error message that many users encounter when trying to assume a role in AWS (Amazon Web Services). This error indicates that the user does not have the necessary permissions to perform the action. In this article, we will discuss the causes of this error, how to troubleshoot it, and best practices for managing IAM (Identity and Access Management) roles in AWS.
The sts:assumerole error can occur due to various reasons, such as incorrect IAM policies, missing permissions, or incorrect role configuration. To resolve this issue, it is essential to identify the root cause and take appropriate actions.
One of the primary causes of the sts:assumerole error is an incorrect IAM policy. IAM policies define the permissions that users and roles have within your AWS account. If a policy is missing or incorrectly configured, the user will not be authorized to assume the role. To address this, you should review the IAM policy associated with the role and ensure that it grants the necessary permissions.
Another common cause of the sts:assumerole error is a missing permission. If the user does not have the required permissions to assume the role, they will receive the error message. To resolve this, you should check the IAM policy attached to the user’s IAM user or group and grant the sts:AssumeRole permission. This permission allows the user to assume the specified role.
In some cases, the sts:assumerole error may be caused by an incorrect role configuration. Ensure that the role is correctly associated with the trust relationship and that the trust relationship allows the user to assume the role. You can verify this by reviewing the trust relationship policy attached to the role.
To troubleshoot the sts:assumerole error, follow these steps:
1. Verify that the IAM policy attached to the role grants the sts:AssumeRole permission.
2. Check the IAM policy attached to the user’s IAM user or group and grant the sts:AssumeRole permission if it is missing.
3. Review the trust relationship policy attached to the role and ensure that it allows the user to assume the role.
4. Confirm that the user has the necessary permissions to perform the action within the role.
To prevent future occurrences of the sts:assumerole error, consider the following best practices for managing IAM roles in AWS:
1. Use the principle of least privilege: Grant users and roles only the permissions necessary to perform their tasks.
2. Regularly review and update IAM policies to ensure that they remain up-to-date with your organization’s requirements.
3. Use managed policies to simplify IAM policy management and reduce the risk of errors.
4. Implement a robust IAM policy audit process to monitor and report on policy changes and permissions granted to users and roles.
By following these best practices and troubleshooting steps, you can effectively manage IAM roles in AWS and avoid the “is not authorized to perform: sts:assumerole” error.
