fatal error: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/.aws' when using Environment credentials source

[albgus]

Describe the bug

The AWS CLI seems to not respect the same configuration sources as the normal AWS SDK, instead it enforces the existence of a $HOME/.aws/config, and completely fails if it doesn't exist and can't be created... even if all the configuration was available through the environment.

Regression Issue

• Select this option if this issue appears to be a regression.

Expected Behavior

The AWS CLI should support all standard methods of passing AWS Credentials without arbitrary requirements

Current Behavior

The AWS CLI attempt to read/create a directory in $HOME and crashes if it can't, even if proper configuration was supplied through environment variables.

Reproduction Steps

Start a container with this image (or similar): https://hub.docker.com/r/bitnami/aws-cli

Mount credentials through environment, or IRSA: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/eks/latest/userguide/iam-roles-for-service-accounts.html

With this configuration the AWS CLI will fail with: fatal error: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/.aws'

Possible Solution

Fail gracefully and attempt other configuration sources instead of attempting to create a non-existent directory. Honestly I don't see why it should create that directory at all if configuration is supplied through the environment.

Additional Information/Context

No response

CLI version used

aws-cli/2.21.0 Python/3.11.10 Linux/6.1.102 source/x86_64.debian.12

Environment details (OS name and version, etc.)

Docker: bitnami/aws-cli:latest

[adev-code]

Hi @albgus, thanks for reaching out. I have tried the same set-up and the reproduction steps, I did not get the same issue. Could you please check and clarify the $HOME and its permissions, as well as the user if it has necessary permissions to access and read directories. Thank you.

[Rabutson]

Hello @adev-code,

I think this may be similar to #4374

I can say that we have also had issues where we don't necessarily have or want write permissions in $HOME in k8s containers
in our case it's the creation of /.aws/cli/cache that causes the issue

I think the goal for both of us is some way not to generate any files, like an AWS_NO_CACHE environment variable.