What is the benefit of EC2 Instance Connect?

EC2 Instance Connect offers the significant benefit of allowing secure access to EC2 instances without the need to manage SSH keys. Traditional SSH (Secure Shell) access typically requires users to generate and distribute SSH key pairs to access instances securely. This process can be cumbersome and creates several security vulnerabilities, such as the risk of key leakage or the challenge of key lifecycle management.

With EC2 Instance Connect, users can connect to their instances using temporary, on-demand SSH keys, which are authorized based on IAM (Identity and Access Management) permissions. This means that instead of storing SSH keys on instances or having to distribute them securely prior to access, users can simply use their AWS IAM role or user credentials to authenticate their access. This method enhances security by minimizing the exposure of long-lived SSH keys and reducing the administrative burden of managing and rotating keys.

The other options do not correctly reflect the primary benefit of EC2 Instance Connect. While reducing costs, enabling faster instance launches, and providing automatic updates are advantageous features in various AWS services, they do not specifically relate to the unique capability of EC2 Instance Connect regarding SSH key management and secure access. Hence, focusing on secure and simplified access through temporary key provisioning makes option B the correct answer.