AWS Security ChangesHomeSearch

AWS AWSEC2 documentation change

Service: AWSEC2 · 2025-04-25 · Documentation low

File: AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/instance-naming-modify.md

Summary

Restructured documentation about modifying DNS hostname settings, added CLI/PowerShell examples, clarified requirements for instance store-backed instances, and reorganized subnet configuration instructions

Security assessment

The changes primarily improve documentation structure and add implementation examples. While DNS configuration (A/AAAA records) relates to network visibility, there's no evidence this addresses a specific vulnerability. The instance store-backed instance note is operational guidance rather than security remediation.

Diff

diff --git a/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/instance-naming-modify.md b/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/instance-naming-modify.md
index 4e3a2e5a9..04e7ad5f9 100644
--- a//AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/instance-naming-modify.md
+++ b//AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/instance-naming-modify.md
@@ -11 +11,7 @@ You can change the hostname type and DNS hostname configurations for subnets, wh
-## Subnets
+###### Resource based naming options
+
+  * **Hostname type** : Determines the default setting for the guest OS hostname of EC2 instances launched in the subnet. This is either the resource name or IP name.
+
+  * **Enable DNS hostname IPv4 (A record) requests** : Determines whether DNS requests/queries to the resource name resolve to the private IPv4 address (A record) of the EC2 instance.
+
+  * **Enable DNS hostname IPv6 (AAAA record) requests** : Determines whether DNS requests/queries to the resource name resolve to the IPv6 address (AAAA record) of the EC2 instance.
@@ -13 +18,0 @@ You can change the hostname type and DNS hostname configurations for subnets, wh
-Modify the configurations for a subnet by selecting a subnet in the Amazon VPC console and choosing **Actions** , **Edit subnet settings**.
@@ -15 +20,3 @@ Modify the configurations for a subnet by selecting a subnet in the Amazon VPC c
-###### Note
+
+
+## Subnets
@@ -19 +26 @@ Changing the subnet settings doesn't change the configuration of EC2 instances t
-  * **Hostname type** : Determines whether you want the default setting of the guest OS hostname of the EC2 instance launched in the subnet to be the resource name or IP name.
+Console
@@ -21 +27,0 @@ Changing the subnet settings doesn't change the configuration of EC2 instances t
-  * **Enable DNS hostname IPv4 (A record) requests** : Determines whether DNS requests/queries to your resource name resolve to the private IPv4 address (A record) of this EC2 instance.
@@ -23 +29 @@ Changing the subnet settings doesn't change the configuration of EC2 instances t
-  * **Enable DNS hostname IPv6 (AAAA record) requests** : Determines whether DNS requests/queries to your resource name resolve to the IPv6 address (AAAA record) of this EC2 instance.
+###### To modify the options for a subnet
@@ -24,0 +31 @@ Changing the subnet settings doesn't change the configuration of EC2 instances t
+Open the Amazon VPC console and select the subnet. Choose **Actions** , **Edit subnet settings**. Modify the settings as needed and then save your changes.
@@ -25,0 +33 @@ Changing the subnet settings doesn't change the configuration of EC2 instances t
+AWS CLI
@@ -28 +36,18 @@ Changing the subnet settings doesn't change the configuration of EC2 instances t
-## EC2 instances
+###### To modify the options for a subnet
+
+Use the [modify-subnet-attribute](https://awscli.amazonaws.com/v2/documentation/api/latest/reference/ec2/modify-subnet-attribute.html) command.
+    
+    
+    aws ec2 modify-subnet-attribute \
+        --subnet-id subnet-0abcdef1234567890 \
+        --private-dns-hostname-type-on-launch resource-name \
+        --enable-resource-name-dns-a-record-on-launch \
+        --enable-resource-name-dns-aaaa-record-on-launch
+
+PowerShell
+    
+
+###### To modify the options for a subnet
+
+Use the [Edit-EC2SubnetAttribute](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/powershell/latest/reference/items/Edit-EC2SubnetAttribute.html) cmdlet.
+    
@@ -30 +55,7 @@ Changing the subnet settings doesn't change the configuration of EC2 instances t
-Follow the steps in this section to modify the Hostname type and DNS Hostname configurations for an EC2 instance.
+    Edit-EC2SubnetAttribute `
+        -SubnetId subnet-0abcdef1234567890 `
+        -PrivateDnsHostnameTypeOnLaunch ResourceName `
+        -EnableResourceNameDnsAAAARecordOnLaunch $true `
+        -EnableResourceNameDnsARecordOnLaunch $true
+
+## EC2 instances
@@ -34 +65,4 @@ Follow the steps in this section to modify the Hostname type and DNS Hostname co
-  * To change the **Use resource based naming as guest OS hostname** setting, you must first stop the instance. To change the **Answer DNS hostname IPv4 (A record) request** or **Answer DNS hostname IPv6 (AAAA record) requests** settings, you don't have to stop the instance.
+  * To change the hostname type, you must first stop the instance. There is no need to stop an instance to change the other two options.
+
+  * Because you can't stop an instance store-backed instance, you can only configure the hostname type and DNS hostname options at instance launch. Only the following instance types support instance store volumes as root volumes: C1, C3, D2, I2, M1, M2, M3, R3, and X1.
+
@@ -36 +69,0 @@ Follow the steps in this section to modify the Hostname type and DNS Hostname co
-  * To modify any of the settings for non-EBS backed EC2 instance types, you cannot stop the instance. You must terminate the instance and launch a new instance with the desired Hostname type and DNS Hostname configurations.
@@ -38,0 +72 @@ Follow the steps in this section to modify the Hostname type and DNS Hostname co
+Console
@@ -41 +75 @@ Follow the steps in this section to modify the Hostname type and DNS Hostname co
-###### To modify the hostname type and DNS hostname configurations for an instance
+###### To modify the hostname type and DNS hostname options for an instance
@@ -63,0 +98,28 @@ To stop the instance, select the instance and choose **Instance state** , **Stop
+AWS CLI
+    
+
+###### To modify the hostname type and DNS hostname options for an instance
+
+Use the [modify-private-dns-name-options](https://awscli.amazonaws.com/v2/documentation/api/latest/reference/ec2/modify-private-dns-name-options.html) command.
+    
+    
+    aws ec2 modify-private-dns-name-options \
+        --instance-id i-1234567890abcdef0 \
+        --private-dns-hostname-type resource-name \
+        --enable-resource-name-dns-a-record \
+        --enable-resource-name-dns-aaaa-record
+
+PowerShell
+    
+
+###### To modify the hostname type and DNS hostname options for an instance
+
+Use the [Edit-EC2PrivateDnsNameOption](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/powershell/latest/reference/items/Edit-EC2PrivateDnsNameOption.html) cmdlet.
+    
+    
+    Edit-EC2PrivateDnsNameOption `
+        -InstanceId i-1234567890abcdef0 `
+        -PrivateDnsHostnameType ResourceName `
+        -EnableResourceNameDnsAAAARecord $true`
+        -EnableResourceNameDnsARecord $true
+