AWS Security ChangesHomeSearch

AWS lambda high security documentation change

Service: lambda · 2025-09-28 · Security-related high

File: lambda/latest/dg/services-rds.md

Summary

Updated certificate handling documentation for Node.js runtimes, specifying Node.js 20+ requires explicit CA certificate configuration via NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS environment variable

Security assessment

The change addresses secure TLS connections by documenting required configuration changes for newer Node.js versions. Failure to set NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS in Node.js 20+ could lead to SSL verification failures and insecure connections. This directly impacts security by preventing potential man-in-the-middle attacks and maintaining certificate trust.

Diff

diff --git a/lambda/latest/dg/services-rds.md b/lambda/latest/dg/services-rds.md
index b3fc32caa..d31542c69 100644
--- a//lambda/latest/dg/services-rds.md
+++ b//lambda/latest/dg/services-rds.md
@@ -137 +137,7 @@ To make secure SSL/TLS connections to an Amazon RDS database instance, your Lamb
-  * [.zip file archives](./configuration-function-zip.html): Lambda's managed runtimes include both Certificate Authority (CA) certificates and the certificates required for connections to Amazon RDS database instances. It might take up to 4 weeks for Amazon RDS certificates for new AWS Regions to be added to the Lambda managed runtimes.
+  * [.zip file archives](./configuration-function-zip.html): Certificate handling varies by runtime:
+
+    * **Node.js 18 and earlier** : Lambda automatically includes CA certificates and RDS certificates.
+
+    * **Node.js 20 and later** : Lambda no longer loads additional CA certificates by default. Set the `NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS` environment variable to `/var/runtime/ca-cert.pem`.
+
+It might take up to 4 weeks for Amazon RDS certificates for new AWS Regions to be added to the Lambda managed runtimes.