AWS Bedrock AgentCore
In short: AgentCore implements agent identities as workload identities. Runtime defaults to IAM SigV4 and can use JWT authentication for inbound requests. OAuth supports outbound access to third-party resources. Check user-context handling carefully: the user-ID header does not independently authenticate the end user whose tokens an agent requests.
What does AWS Bedrock AgentCore already give you for agent identity?
- AgentCore implements agent identities as workload identities with specialized attributes. AWS: AgentCore Identity, read 2026-11-03
- Runtime uses IAM SigV4 authentication and authorization by default. AWS: Runtime inbound and outbound authentication, read 2026-11-03
- Runtime supports JWT inbound authentication and OAuth outbound access to third-party resources. AWS: Runtime inbound and outbound authentication, read 2026-11-03
- JWT authentication validates issuer, signature and expiry. AWS: Runtime inbound and outbound authentication, read 2026-11-03
- The user-ID header supports end-user OAuth token retrieval through Authorization Code Grant. AWS: Runtime inbound and outbound authentication, read 2026-11-03
- The user-ID header does not verify its supplied user ID against an authenticated end-user identity. AWS: Runtime inbound and outbound authentication, read 2026-11-03
Where is the gap?
Restrict callers that can supply user context and verify their end-user identity handling. Authentication alone does not establish permission for each downstream action.
Which key results usually apply?
Which products fit?
| Product | Fits when |
|---|---|
| NewCore | You need a named person to approve risky agent actions before they run. |
| Aembit | You want to start free with a few agents. |
| Astrix Security | You do not know how many agents exist or who owns them. |
| Okta for AI Agents | Most of your people sign in through Okta. |
Questions buyers ask
What is the default Runtime authentication?
AWS documents IAM SigV4 as the default authentication and authorization mechanism.
Does a user-ID header authenticate a person?
No. AWS states the header does not verify its supplied user ID against an authenticated end-user identity.
Are inbound and outbound authentication the same?
No. JWT can authenticate inbound Runtime requests. OAuth supports outbound access to third-party resources.