What is the result of a successful AssumeRoleWithWebIdentity API call?

A successful AssumeRoleWithWebIdentity API call results in the user gaining temporary security credentials. This API is commonly used in scenarios where applications want to allow users to access AWS resources without having to manage user credentials directly. Instead, users authenticate via a web identity provider (such as Google, Facebook, or any OpenID Connect compatible provider) and then exchange that token for temporary AWS credentials.

These temporary credentials consist of an access key, a secret key, and a session token. They allow the user to access AWS resources for a limited duration, defined by the session duration specified in the role. This mechanism enhances security by minimizing the risk associated with long-term credentials and allows for fine-grained access control based on the role being assumed.

The benefits of using temporary credentials include automatic expiration after a set time, which means there is less risk if they are compromised compared to permanent credentials that do not expire. This approach also simplifies management since there's no need to rotate or securely store long-term credentials.