Proceed through forced "Password reset is required" when email server is hosted on an offline EC2 instance?

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I have an AWS account that I have not logged into since 2018 - things have just been working :-) Today I tried to reboot my EC2 instance that runs my mail server from an ssh session, as it wasn't working. When I try to log into the management console, AWS advises me

Password reset is required
For security concerns, you need to reset your password. To keep your account secure, you must choose "Forgot password?" below and reset your password.

When I go through this process, the email account that I log in with is hosted on the non-functional EC2 instance, so I can't get the email. How can I get back in? Can I delay the forced password change for 2-3 days whilst I get the mail server back up and running?

  • Also, I cannot log into the console to ask the question from the affected account

4 Answers
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Accepted Answer

Set up a new mail server (or create an alias domain on an existing one that you have access to).

Change the MX record to point to new mail server.

Test email is routing to the new server.

Reset password.

Revert MX server to normal mail server.

NOTE: During this process, you may miss incoming emails, but senders should get a bounce message.

answered a year ago
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EXPERT
reviewed 22 days ago
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Thanks simon and iwasa.

I tried your solutions which require me to login (which both lead to the same result - I'm forced into the change password process).

At the moment I am frustrated with the responses from AWS support - the first two were identical - telling me to go through the change password process. Even after I explained that I can't complete that. The third was marginally better - it started out with the same links, but added one - advising me to go to re:Post. So here I am back again.

All my bills for the account that I am locked out from (call this account "Child") get cc'd to an email account that is a login for another AWS account (call this account "Parent"). Account "Child" is a member of the organisation account "Parent", so the email account are already linked in AWS. The reset password email is not forwarded to the "Parent" email account either.

I'm happy to pay the AWS support fee to get my access to this account re-instated.

Any clews or help?

How do I ensure that I can get to talk to someone (Chat, email, phone - I don't care) that actually wants to help me?

I am frustrated. I realise now that I should never host the root email account for a domain within it's own AWS account. My mistake, and I have learnt from that.

Looks like I will have to host my email either in another AWS account, or with another provider.

Call it a trap for young players - live and learn, and hopefully teach others along the way.

answered a year ago
  • From ASW Support: (I paraphrase) Change MX record to a server you can access. Reset password. Change MX record back.

    I'll let you know how it goes.

  • OK, So 1 temporary mail server and MX change later, I've changed my password and logged in. Thanks for your time and responses.

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Sorry to hear that! Take a look at the following page to contact AWS Support from outside your account: https://support.aws.amazon.com/#/contacts/aws-account-support

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simon
answered a year ago
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Hi, ITNavigate.

Please contact support using the form described in "Finding the email address for an account" below, along with information that proves your identity.

https://aws.amazon.com/premiumsupport/knowledge-center/forgot-aws-sign-in-credentials/?nc1=h_ls

I think it would be difficult if the root user's email address has expired, but let's ask :)

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EXPERT
iwasa
answered a year ago

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