Using the RSA-2048 Signature to Verify the Instance Identity Document

This topic explains how to verify the instance identity document using the RSA-2048 signature and the AWS RSA-2048 public certificate.

Important

To validate the instance identity document using the RSA-2048 signature, you must request the AWS RSA-2048 public certificate from AWS Support.

To verify the instance identity document using the RSA-2048 signature and the AWS RSA-2048 public certificate

1. Connect to the instance.

2. Retrieve the RSA-2048 signature from the instance metadata and add it to a file named rsa2048.

   1. Add the -----BEGIN PKCS7----- header to the rsa2048 file.

      $ echo "-----BEGIN PKCS7-----" > rsa2048

   2. Retrieve the RSA-2048 signature from the instance metadata and append it to the rsa2048 file. Use one of the following commands depending on the IMDS version used by the instance.

      IMDSv2

      $ TOKEN=`curl -X PUT "http://169.254.169.254/latest/api/token" -H "X-aws-ec2-metadata-token-ttl-seconds: 21600"` \
      && curl -H "X-aws-ec2-metadata-token: $TOKEN" -v http://169.254.169.254/latest/dynamic/instance-identity/rsa2048 >> rsa2048

      IMDSv1

      $ curl -s http://169.254.169.254/latest/dynamic/instance-identity/rsa2048 >> rsa2048

   3. Append the -----END PKCS7----- footer to a new line in the rsa2048 file.

      $ echo "" >> rsa2048
      $ echo "-----END PKCS7-----" >> rsa2048

3. Add the contents of the instance identity document from the instance metadata to a file named document. Use one of the following commands depending on the IMDS version used by the instance.

   IMDSv2

   $ TOKEN=`curl -X PUT "http://169.254.169.254/latest/api/token" -H "X-aws-ec2-metadata-token-ttl-seconds: 21600"` \ 
   && curl -H "X-aws-ec2-metadata-token: $TOKEN" -v http://169.254.169.254/latest/dynamic/instance-identity/document > document

   IMDSv1

   $ curl -s http://169.254.169.254/latest/dynamic/instance-identity/document > document

4. Add the AWS RSA-2048 public certificate to a file named certificate.

   1. Create the certificate file.

      $ touch certificate

   2. Open the certificate file using your preferred text editor and add the contents of the AWS RSA-2048 public certificate that you received from AWS Support.

   3. Save and close the file.

5. Use the OpenSSL smime command to verify the signature. Include the -verify option to indicate that the signature needs to be verified, and the -noverify option to indicate that the certificate does not need to be verified.

   $ openssl smime -verify -in rsa2048 -inform PEM -content document -certfile certificate -noverify

   If the signature is valid, the Verification successful message appears. If the signature cannot be verified, contact AWS Support.