Which service provides temporary AWS credentials for both unauthenticated and authenticated users?

The service that provides temporary AWS credentials for both unauthenticated and authenticated users is Amazon Cognito Identity Pool. This service is specifically designed to enable users to access AWS resources securely without needing to create AWS accounts for each individual user.

Amazon Cognito Identity Pools allow you to manage both authenticated and unauthenticated users. Authenticated users typically log in via a social identity provider (like Facebook or Google) or through SAML federated authentication, while unauthenticated users can interact with the application without having to sign in. When users are authenticated, they are granted temporary AWS credentials that allow them to access specific AWS services based on permissions defined in IAM roles. For unauthenticated users, the service can also generate credentials, enabling limited access to services as configured.

This capability is crucial for developers creating mobile and web applications that require user authentication and authorization, especially those that aim to leverage AWS resources seamlessly while ensuring scalability and security.

The other services mentioned do not focus on providing temporary credentials in the same way. For example, Amazon Cognito User Pools primarily manage user authentication and handles user directories but does not provide credentials to unauthenticated users. AWS IAM Roles are used for managing permissions and access for AWS services, but they don't directly issue credentials to