What is a common AWS use case for managing permissions with Vault?

Using Vault to dynamically generate short-lived credentials for accessing AWS S3 is a common and effective use case. This method enhances security by ensuring that applications do not have long-term access keys hardcoded or stored in an insecure manner. Instead, Vault can be configured to authenticate with AWS and, based on defined policies and roles, generate temporary access credentials that have a limited lifetime.

By providing credentials that expire after a set period, organizations can minimize the risk associated with credential leakage. If a short-lived credential is compromised, it is only valid for a limited time, significantly reducing the window of opportunity for misuse. This also aligns with the principle of least privilege, as applications can be granted only the permissions they need for their tasks during the lifetime of the credential.

In contrast, other options do not effectively leverage Vault's capabilities in a secure manner. Assuming long-term IAM access for apps undermines security best practices by keeping access keys that could potentially be exposed. Providing full access to all AWS services contradicts the principle of least privilege and is not a recommended practice for managing permissions. Manually switching roles in the AWS console lacks the automation and security benefits that Vault provides for credential management.