Obtaining a Permanent AK/SK

Access keys (AK/SK) are an authentication mechanism of IAM. They are used to encrypt the signature of a request, ensuring that the request is secure and integral, and that identities of the request sender and receiver are correct.

AK: a unique ID associated with an SK. It is used together with the SK to sign requests.
SK: a key used together with the AK to sign requests. The AK and SK identify senders and prevent requests from being altered.

Constraint

You can create up to two access keys, which are permanently valid.

Viewing a Downloaded Access Key

If you have generated and downloaded an access key (AK/SK), find the local AK/SK file, which is generally named credentials.csv.

As shown in the following figure, the file contains a username, AK, and SK.

Figure 1 Content of the credential.csv file
Click to enlarge

Creating an Access Key

If no AK/SK file has been generated or can be found locally, create another access key.

Log in to the console.
On the top navigation menu, hover over the username and choose My Credentials.
On the My Credentials page, choose Access Keys > Create Access Key.
In the Create Access Key dialog box that is displayed, enter the password and verification code.
- If no email address and mobile number have been bound to your account, enter only the login password.
- If you have bound an email address or mobile number to your account, verify your identity using either of them
Click OK.
Save the access key as prompted. The access key is saved in the default download folder of the browser.
- Keep the access key secure. If you click Cancel in the download dialog box, the access keys will not be downloaded and cannot be downloaded later. You can create a new one if required.
- Rotate the access key (AK/SK) periodically.
Open the downloaded credentials.csv file to obtain the access key (AK/SK).