Introduction

When encountering an error with terraform apply that points to an issue with the AWS Provider, particularly a 403 error code stating “InvalidClientTokenId: The security token included in the request is invalid,” it suggests a problem with the AWS credentials or their configuration in Terraform. This error prevents Terraform from authenticating with AWS services, halting any infrastructure provisioning or management tasks. Let’s explore the causes of this error and how to resolve it.

Understanding the Error

The error message:

Error: configuring Terraform AWS Provider: validating provider credentials: retrieving caller identity from STS: operation error STS: GetCallerIdentity, https response error StatusCode: 403, RequestID: 62086001-1c3d-4c3e-8108-c6c10b460f67, api error InvalidClientTokenId: The security token included in the request is invalid.

indicates that the AWS provider in Terraform is unable to validate the provided AWS credentials. This validation step is crucial for Terraform to make authorized API calls to AWS. The InvalidClientTokenId suggests that the token or credentials being used are either incorrect, expired, or not properly configured in Terraform.

Common Causes and Solutions

  1. Incorrect AWS Credentials: Ensure that the AWS Access Key ID and Secret Access Key are correctly configured in your environment. This can be done via environment variables (AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID and AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY), or by configuring them directly in the provider block in your Terraform configuration.

  2. Expired Credentials: If you’re using temporary credentials (for example, from an assumed role), ensure they haven’t expired. Refresh these credentials if necessary.

  3. AWS CLI or SDK Configuration: Terraform uses the default configuration of the AWS CLI or SDK. Ensure that your AWS CLI or SDK is configured with the correct region and output format, as these can affect how Terraform interacts with AWS.

  4. IAM Permissions: The AWS user or role whose credentials are being used needs to have the necessary permissions to perform operations in AWS. Ensure that the IAM policy attached to the user or role includes permissions for STS GetCallerIdentity, among other required permissions.

  5. Terraform Provider Version: An outdated AWS provider version may not support certain AWS features or might have bugs. Ensure you’re using a recent version of the AWS provider.

  6. Environment Variables Conflict: If you’ve set AWS credentials both in environment variables and in the Terraform configuration, one might be overriding the other. Ensure consistency in how you provide these credentials.

Steps to Resolve

  1. Verify Credentials: Double-check the AWS credentials to ensure they are correct. You can test them using the AWS CLI with aws sts get-caller-identity.

  2. Update AWS Provider: Ensure you’re using the latest version of the AWS provider by updating the version in your Terraform configuration.

  3. Configure IAM Properly: Review and adjust the IAM policies attached to your AWS credentials to ensure they include the necessary permissions.

  4. Environment Setup: Ensure your environment variables are set up correctly or that your Terraform configuration specifies the correct credentials and region.

  5. Debugging: Use Terraform’s logging features by setting the TF_LOG environment variable to DEBUG for more detailed error messages, which can provide further insights into the issue.

Conclusion

Resolving the InvalidClientTokenId error involves checking and correcting the AWS credentials and their configuration in Terraform. Ensuring that the credentials are valid, have the necessary permissions, and are correctly set up in the environment or Terraform configuration will allow Terraform to authenticate with AWS and proceed with infrastructure management tasks.