DynamoDB

This authentication method allows you to use the ARN of an assumable role instead of hard-coded AWS access keys. When a Nintex Apps user makes a request using this authentication method, Nintex Apps makes a secure server-side request to assume the configured role. If this request is successful, Nintex Apps receives temporary access credentials, which Nintex Apps caches until the credentials expire after 60 minutes.

Requests made through an assumed role are traceable via the AWS console. From there, you can see both the Nintex Apps site and Nintex Apps user who initiated the request, which provides AWS administrators full visibility into who requested access credentials and from what Nintex Apps site.

Due to this method's security and ease-of-management after initial setup, we typically recommend it over the access keys method. However, it does require some technical knowledge to configure. Be sure to read all of the instructions below.

Before you begin

Nintex Apps can only access roles that have a defined path containing the string /Nintex Apps-assumable-role/ . This is different from the role's name. Role paths can only be set when first created, so it isn't possible to update an existing role with a new path.

In order to create a role with a path, you'll need to use either the AWS IAM API or the AWS CLI.

The instructions below assume you are using AWS CLI (version 2) and that you've already configured an access key ID and secret access key for use with the CLI. Ensure these credentials have the iam:CreateRole permission. Command line examples are also tailored for Linux or macOS operating systems; commands for command line programs on Windows may differ.

Finally, because IAM roles require a trust relationship policy upon creation, you'll need to save the JSON that Nintex Apps provides when creating an authentication provider. Because of this you'll need to navigate between your browser window, your computer's file explorer, as well as the command line.

In Nintex Apps

1. From the Nintex Apps navigation bar, navigate to Connections > Authentication Providers.
2. Click Create.
3. Configure the authentication provider's basic properties:
   • Name: Enter a name, such as AWSAuth.
   • Authentication Method: AWS: Assume Role with ARN
4. In the Trust Relationship Policy, click Copy to Clipboard.

This copied policy will enable your role to grant proper access to your Nintex Apps site.

"sts:ExternalId": "09583eba-de0e-49d3-ae42-61b3927a61b1"

"sts:ExternalId": [
   "09583eba-de0e-49d3-ae42-61b3927a61b1",
   "e354e60f-5a80-4024-b01a-4cae13d0948c"
]

On your local machine

1. With the policy copied to your clipboard, paste the policy into a text editor.
2. Save the file to an easily accessible directory (for example, your desktop) on your machine with a recognizable name and the JSON file extension, like trust-policy.json

In a command line interface

With the trust policy saved to your machine, you can now use the AWS CLI to create an assumable role.

1. Open your command line program of choice and navigate to the directory containing your policy JSON file. For example, if you saved the file on your desktop:

   Copy

   1
   2
   cd ~/Desktop
   

2. Use the AWS CLI's iam create-role command to create the role with the proper path value and trust relationship policy:

   Copy

   1
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   aws iam create-role --role-name Apps-S3-Access --path /skuid-assumable-role/ --assume-role-policy-document file://trust-policy.json
   

   Note:  While role-name can vary from this example, the path must contain /skuid-assumable-role/

   The CLI creates the role, outputting its ARN and other related metadata. Because of the configured path, your ARN should look similar to this: arn:aws:iam::1234567891011:role/Nintex Apps-assumable-role/Nintex Apps-S3-Access .

3. Copy this created ARN, either from the command line output or the AWS console.

In Nintex Apps

1. Return to the authentication provider window.
2. Paste the copied ARN into the AWS Role ARN to assume field.
3. Click Save.

This authentication method utilizes an Amazon Web Service (AWS) IAM role's access keys to authenticate to an AWS system.

If you are not the manager of your AWS services, follow along with Amazon's steps for creating access keys with your IT administrator. You'll need to do the following:

In AWS

1. Create a new group and select the appropriate policies for that group.
   • These should align with your intended Nintex Apps use. Ensure your access policies match the services (S3, DynamoDB, or SNS) you'll be using.
2. Create a new user in AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) within the newly created group.
3. Retrieve the access credentials generated for that user:
   • The secret access key is only displayed once, immediately after the access key is generated, and cannot be found later. Be sure to copy it to a safe place.

In Nintex Apps

With your access credentials handy, you can now use them to configure a Nintex Apps authentication provider that will work with all AWS connections.

1. Navigate to Configure > Connections > Authentication Providers.
2. Click New Authentication Provider.
3. Configure the authentication provider's basic properties:
   • Name: Enter a name, such as AWSAuth.
   • Authentication Method: AWS: Access Keys
4. Enter your IAM role's credential information:
   • AWS Access Key Id: The access key ID to use when authenticating.
   • AWS Secret Access Key: The secret access key to use when authenticating.
5. Click Save.