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AWS documentdb medium security documentation change

Service: documentdb · 2025-04-16 · Security-related medium

File: documentdb/latest/developerguide/connect-ec2-auto.md

Summary

Updated EC2 and DocumentDB cluster setup instructions with revised security group configuration guidance, image references, and instance configuration details. Added explicit steps for creating security groups and removed deprecated images.

Security assessment

The change modifies security group configuration instructions to emphasize creating new security groups instead of selecting existing ones, reducing risks of misconfiguration. Added note directing users to manual process for existing groups (which may enforce stricter security checks). This addresses potential security weaknesses from overly permissive existing groups.

Diff

diff --git a/documentdb/latest/developerguide/connect-ec2-auto.md b/documentdb/latest/developerguide/connect-ec2-auto.md
index 170daa2e9..e34ab9f51 100644
--- a//documentdb/latest/developerguide/connect-ec2-auto.md
+++ b//documentdb/latest/developerguide/connect-ec2-auto.md
@@ -65 +65 @@ In this step, you will create an Amazon EC2 instance in the same Region and Amaz
-![The Application and OS Images interface with the Amazon Linux 2 AMI option selected in the Quick Start section.](/images/documentdb/latest/developerguide/images/ec2/ami.png)
+![The Application and OS Images interface with the Amazon Linux 2 AMI option selected in the Quick Start section.](/images/documentdb/latest/developerguide/images/ec2/linux2-ami.png)
@@ -69,2 +68,0 @@ In this step, you will create an Amazon EC2 instance in the same Region and Amaz
-![The Instance type interface showing the t3.micro option selected in the dropdown list.](/images/documentdb/latest/developerguide/images/ec2/instance-type.png)
-
@@ -99 +97,3 @@ For security purposes, we highly recommend using a key-pair for both SSH and int
-  6. **Optional:** In the **Network settings section** , under **Firewall (security groups)** , choose either **Create security group** or **Select existing security group**.
+  6. **Optional:** In the **Network settings section** , under **Firewall (security groups)** , choose **Create security group**.
+
+![The Network settings interface showing options for creating a security group.](/images/documentdb/latest/developerguide/images/ec2/firewall.png)
@@ -101 +101 @@ For security purposes, we highly recommend using a key-pair for both SSH and int
-![The Network settings interface showing options for creating a security group.](/images/documentdb/latest/developerguide/images/ec2/nw-settings.png)
+Choose **Create security group** (check all the traffic allow rules that apply to your EC2 connectivity).
@@ -103 +103 @@ For security purposes, we highly recommend using a key-pair for both SSH and int
-If you chose to select an existing security group, select one from the **Common security groups** drop-down list.
+###### Note
@@ -105 +105 @@ If you chose to select an existing security group, select one from the **Common
-If you chose to create a new security group, check all the traffic allow rules that apply to your EC2 connectivity.
+If you want to use an existing security group, follow the instructions in [Connect Amazon EC2 manually](./connect-ec2-manual.html).
@@ -109,2 +108,0 @@ If you chose to create a new security group, check all the traffic allow rules t
-![Summary section showing the EC2 configuration. Review commands, Cancel, and Launch instance options are at the bottom.](/images/documentdb/latest/developerguide/images/ec2/summary.png)
-
@@ -116 +114 @@ If you chose to create a new security group, check all the traffic allow rules t
-While the Amazon EC2 instance is being provisioned, you will create your Amazon DocumentDB cluster. 
+While the Amazon EC2 instance is being provisioned, create your Amazon DocumentDB cluster. 
@@ -120,2 +117,0 @@ While the Amazon EC2 instance is being provisioned, you will create your Amazon
-![Amazon DocumentDB console navigation pane with Clusters option highlighted.](/images/documentdb/latest/developerguide/images/nav-docdb-clusters.png)
-
@@ -124 +120,5 @@ While the Amazon EC2 instance is being provisioned, you will create your Amazon
-![The Create button for creating a new Amazon DocumentDB cluster.](/images/documentdb/latest/developerguide/images/cluster-create.png)
+  3. Leave the **Cluster type** setting at it's default of **Instance Based Cluster**.
+
+  4. In **Cluster configuration** , for **Cluster identifier** , enter a unique name. Note that the console will change all cluster names into lower-case regardless of how they are entered.
+
+Leave the **Engine version** at it's default value of **5.0.0**.
@@ -126 +126 @@ While the Amazon EC2 instance is being provisioned, you will create your Amazon
-  3. Leave the **Cluster type** setting at its default of **Instance Based Cluster**.
+  5. For **Cluster storage configuration** , leave the default setting of **Amazon DocumentDB Standard**.
@@ -128 +128 @@ While the Amazon EC2 instance is being provisioned, you will create your Amazon
-![Cluster type interface with the Instance Based Cluster option selected.](/images/documentdb/latest/developerguide/images/cluster-type-instance.png)
+  6. In **Instance configuration** :
@@ -130 +130 @@ While the Amazon EC2 instance is being provisioned, you will create your Amazon
-  4. For **Number of instances** , choose **1**. This will minimize cost. Leave the other settings at their default.
+     * For **DB instance class** , choose **Memory optimized classes (include r classes)** (this is default).
@@ -132 +132 @@ While the Amazon EC2 instance is being provisioned, you will create your Amazon
-![Configuration interface with default values for cluster identifier, engine version, and instance class, and number of instances set to one.](/images/documentdb/latest/developerguide/images/cluster-config.png)
+The other instance option is **NVMe-backed classes**. To learn more, see [NVMe-backed instances](./db-instance-nvme.html).
@@ -134 +134,7 @@ While the Amazon EC2 instance is being provisioned, you will create your Amazon
-  5. For **Connectivity** , choose **Connect to an EC2 compute resource**. This is the EC2 instance you created in Step 1.
+     * For **Instance class** , choose the instance type that suits your needs. For a more detailed explanation of instance classes, see [Instance class specifications](./db-instance-classes.html#db-instance-class-specs).
+
+     * For **number of instances** , choose a number that best reflects your needs. Remember, the lower the number, the lower the cost, and the lower the read/write volume that can be managed by the cluster.
+
+![Configuration interface with default values for cluster identifier, engine version, and instance class, with number of instances set to one.](/images/documentdb/latest/developerguide/images/create-cluster/instance-config.png)
+
+  7. For **Connectivity** , choose **Connect to an EC2 compute resource**. This is the EC2 instance you created in Step 1.
@@ -142 +148 @@ Connecting to an EC2 compute resource automatically creates a security group for
-  6. In the **Authentication** section, enter a username for the primary user, and then choose **Self managed**. Enter a password, then confirm it.
+  8. In the **Authentication** section, enter a username for the primary user, and then choose **Self managed**. Enter a password, then confirm it.
@@ -146,5 +152 @@ If you instead chose **Managed in AWS Secrets Manager** , see [Password manageme
-![Authentication type selection with Managed in AWS Secrets Manager option highlighted and both authentication types described.](/images/documentdb/latest/developerguide/images/create-cluster/cluster-auth-self.png)
-
-  7. Choose **Create cluster**.
-
-![The Show advanced settings toggle button enabled, below the estimated hourly cost alert.](/images/documentdb/latest/developerguide/images/cluster-show-adv.png)
+  9. Choose **Create cluster**.
@@ -268,2 +269,0 @@ Transport Layer Security (TLS) is enabled by default for any new Amazon Document
-![Amazon DocumentDB cluster list showing a regional cluster with primary instance details.](/images/documentdb/latest/developerguide/images/cluster-connect-choose.png)
-