Unable to use patch policy for EC2 Windows Server 2019 Instance

Question

Hi there,
I have created a patch policy in Systems Manager for one of my Windows server instances but it returned the following Access Denied error.

I have attempted the following but no success..
- Updated SSM agent to the latest version
- Added the required AmazonSSMManagedInstanceCore permissions
- Created IAM policy to update patch baseline 
- Used custom cron expression instead of the default schedule to see if there's any difference but had the same Access Denied error.

Seems like some permission issue but just not sure which exact part to look at. Could be something within the server. Has anyone else experienced this error before?

**Invoke-PatchBaselineOperation : Access Denied
At C:\ProgramData\Amazon\SSM\InstanceData\document\orchestration\f41cf6bb-bf64-4908-8aa0-095bfe0102
b8\PatchWindows\_script.ps1:219 char:13
+ $response = Invoke-PatchBaselineOperation -Operation Scan -SnapshotId ...
+             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : OperationStopped: (Amazon.Patch.Ba...UpdateOperation:FindWindowsUpdateOperation) [Invoke 
   -PatchBaselineOperation], AmazonS3Exception
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : PatchBaselineOperations,Amazon.Patch.Baseline.Operations.PowerShellCmdlets.InvokePatchBa 
   selineOperation
 
failed to run commands: exit status 0xffffffff**

Answer

Hello, This issue is specifically related to  IAM permission.  I understand that you have AmazonSSMManagedInstanceCore policy attached to the IAM role. Addition to this policy you also need S3 permission.  Add "S3 full permission " to the IAM role. Once done try to perform patching and see how it goes.

Unable to use patch policy for EC2 Windows Server 2019 Instance

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