Credentials and Targets

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Credentials and Targets

Every AWS account is an explicit target. A target has a stable name, a declared 12-digit account ID, required/optional readiness status, one credential source, optional AssumeRole settings, and enabled collectors.

Credential sources

aws:
  credentials:
    sources:
      runtime:
        type: default_chain
      account-a:
        type: profile
        profile: account-a
      environment-source:
        type: static_env
        access_key_id_env: EXPORTER_ACCESS_KEY_ID
        secret_access_key_env: EXPORTER_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY
        session_token_env: EXPORTER_SESSION_TOKEN

• default_chain uses standard AWS SDK resolution: environment, shared files, container credentials, and instance metadata as applicable.
• profile uses AWS shared configuration, including source_profile, SSO, credential_process, and profile role chains.
• static_env stores only environment-variable names. The referenced variables must exist and be non-empty during --check-config and startup.

A source can back many AssumeRole targets, but at most one direct target. Direct targets use the source credentials as-is.

AssumeRole

targets:
  - name: payer-prod
    account_id: "444455556666"
    required: true
    credentials:
      source: runtime
      assume_role:
        role_arn: arn:aws:iam::444455556666:role/aws-cost-exporter-reader
        external_id_env: EXPORTER_PAYER_EXTERNAL_ID
        session_name: aws-cost-exporter-payer-prod

The role ARN must be exact, contain no wildcard, and match account_id. Each target gets an independent credentials cache. ExternalId values are read only from the named environment variable and never appear in configuration, logs, metrics, or debug output.

Identity verification

Before a collector accesses billing APIs, the final credentials call STS GetCallerIdentity. The returned account must equal the configured account_id. Verification is target-scoped, single-flight, rate-limited, and cached after success. A mismatched Profile or environment source cannot publish data under the wrong target.

Authorization failure is a runtime target failure. It does not prevent unrelated targets from starting or refreshing.

Multi-account patterns

• One payer credential source with exact AssumeRole targets is preferred for centralized operation.
• Independent Profiles are suitable for workstations and existing AWS shared configuration.
• Environment-backed static credentials are a last-resort integration; inject them through Secrets and rotate them externally.
• Organizations metadata never auto-discovers or creates targets.

Use the exact policies in examples/iam and avoid wildcard sts:AssumeRole permissions.