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AWS eks low security documentation change

Service: eks · 2025-05-10 · Security-related low

File: eks/latest/userguide/install-kubectl.md

Summary

Restructured installation documentation with expanded step-by-step instructions for kubectl across multiple platforms, added checksum verification guidance, and clearer path configuration steps

Security assessment

Added explicit instructions for SHA-256 checksum verification of kubectl binaries, which helps prevent MITM attacks and ensure binary integrity. While optional, this security best practice helps verify authenticity of downloaded software.

Diff

diff --git a/eks/latest/userguide/install-kubectl.md b/eks/latest/userguide/install-kubectl.md
index 12f7937ce..6adf0eb4b 100644
--- a//eks/latest/userguide/install-kubectl.md
+++ b//eks/latest/userguide/install-kubectl.md
@@ -13 +13 @@ To contribute to this user guide, choose the **Edit this page on GitHub** link t
-`Kubectl` is a command line tool that you use to communicate with the Kubernetes API server. The `kubectl` binary is available in many operating system package managers. Using a package manager for your installation is often easier than a manual download and install process. The `eksctl` command lets you create and modify Amazon EKS clusters.
+Once the AWS CLI is installed, there are two other tools you should install to create and manage your Kubernetes clusters:
@@ -15 +15 @@ To contribute to this user guide, choose the **Edit this page on GitHub** link t
-Topics on this page help you install and set up these tools:
+  * `kubectl`: The `kubectl` command line tool is the main tool you will use to manage resources within your Kubernetes cluster. This page describes how to download and set up the `kubectl` binary that matches the version of your Kubernetes cluster. See Install or update kubectl.
@@ -17,3 +17 @@ Topics on this page help you install and set up these tools:
-  * Install or update kubectl
-
-  * Install eksctl
+  * `eksctl`: The `eksctl` command line tool is made for creating EKS clusters in the AWS cloud or on-premises (with EKS Anywhere), as well as modifying and deleting those clusters. See Install eksctl.
@@ -66,0 +65,17 @@ If downloads are slow to your region from the regions used in this section, cons
+Follow the steps below to install `kubectl` on macOS. The steps include:
+
+  * Choosing and downloading the binary for the Kubernetes version you want.
+
+  * Optionally checking the binary’s checksum.
+
+  * Adding execute to the binary’s permissions.
+
+  * Copying the binary to a folder in your PATH.
+
+  * Optionally adding the binary’s directory to your PATH.
+
+
+
+
+Procedure:
+
@@ -191,0 +207,17 @@ If downloads are slow to your region from the regions used in this section, cons
+Follow the steps below to install `kubectl` on Linux (amd64). The steps include:
+
+  * Choosing and downloading the binary for the Kubernetes version you want.
+
+  * Optionally checking the binary’s checksum.
+
+  * Adding execute to the binary’s permissions.
+
+  * Copying the binary to a folder in your PATH.
+
+  * Optionally adding the binary’s directory to your PATH.
+
+
+
+
+Procedure:
+
@@ -324,0 +357,17 @@ This step assumes you are using the Bash shell; if you are using another shell,
+Follow the steps below to install `kubectl` on Linux (arm64). The steps include:
+
+  * Choosing and downloading the binary for the Kubernetes version you want.
+
+  * Optionally checking the binary’s checksum.
+
+  * Adding execute to the binary’s permissions.
+
+  * Copying the binary to a folder in your PATH.
+
+  * Optionally adding the binary’s directory to your PATH.
+
+
+
+
+Procedure:
+
@@ -326,0 +376,2 @@ This step assumes you are using the Bash shell; if you are using another shell,
+  2. Download the `kubectl` binary for your cluster’s Kubernetes version from Amazon S3.
+
@@ -375 +426 @@ This step assumes you are using the Bash shell; if you are using another shell,
-  2. (Optional) Verify the downloaded binary with the `SHA-256` checksum for your binary.
+  3. (Optional) Verify the downloaded binary with the `SHA-256` checksum for your binary.
@@ -437 +488 @@ or
-  3. Apply execute permissions to the binary.
+  4. Apply execute permissions to the binary.
@@ -441 +492 @@ or
-  4. Copy the binary to a folder in your `PATH`. If you have already installed a version of `kubectl`, then we recommend creating a `$HOME/bin/kubectl` and ensuring that `$HOME/bin` comes first in your `$PATH`.
+  5. Copy the binary to a folder in your `PATH`. If you have already installed a version of `kubectl`, then we recommend creating a `$HOME/bin/kubectl` and ensuring that `$HOME/bin` comes first in your `$PATH`.
@@ -445 +496 @@ or
-  5. (Optional) Add the `$HOME/bin` path to your shell initialization file so that it is configured when you open a shell.
+  6. (Optional) Add the `$HOME/bin` path to your shell initialization file so that it is configured when you open a shell.
@@ -457,0 +509,15 @@ This step assumes you are using the Bash shell; if you are using another shell,
+Follow the steps below to install `kubectl` on Windows. The steps include:
+
+  * Choosing and downloading the binary for the Kubernetes version you want.
+
+  * Optionally checking the binary’s checksum.
+
+  * Copying the binary to a folder in your PATH.
+
+  * Optionally adding the binary’s directory to your PATH.
+
+
+
+
+Procedure:
+
@@ -593 +659 @@ This step assumes you are using the Bash shell; if you are using another shell,
-The `eksctl` CLI is used to work with EKS clusters. It automates many individual tasks. See [Installation](https://eksctl.io/installation) in the `eksctl` documentation for instructions on installing `eksctl`.
+The `eksctl` CLI is used to work with EKS clusters. It automates many individual tasks. See [Installation](https://eksctl.io/installation) in the `eksctl` documentation for instructions on installing `eksctl`. For Linux, use the UNIX instructions.