Fetch-url-http-3a-2f-2f169.254.169.254-2flatest-2fmeta Data-2fiam-2fsecurity Credentials-2f: //top\\

– How legitimate cloud software (SDKs, CLI tools, instance user-data scripts) uses these endpoints with proper request headers and role-based access.

The purpose of this URL is to allow AWS EC2 instances to fetch temporary security credentials that are associated with an IAM role. When an EC2 instance is launched, it can be assigned an IAM role. This IAM role defines what AWS resources the instance can access. Instead of having to manage and embed long-term credentials on the instance, AWS provides temporary security credentials through this metadata service. – How legitimate cloud software (SDKs, CLI tools,

The prefix fetch-url is a human‑readable instruction – telling us to “fetch the URL”. The actual resource is the standard AWS metadata endpoint that lists all available IAM role names or, if a role name is appended, returns the corresponding temporary credentials. This IAM role defines what AWS resources the