Usually not. Thousands of legitimate apps and websites run on AWS.
Countless apps run their backends on AWS.
An ec2-…compute-1.amazonaws.com name is just the reverse DNS of an AWS virtual server; it could belong to any AWS customer, from a startup to a bank. Malware also rents cloud servers, so an unknown process talking to AWS deserves a look, but the domain alone proves nothing either way.
Facts
- Owner
- Amazon (Amazon Web Services)
- Served by
- AWS (EC2, S3 and other services)
- Purpose
- amazonaws.com hosts Amazon Web Services endpoints: S3 storage (*.s3.amazonaws.com), EC2 servers (ec2-…compute.amazonaws.com) and service APIs. Countless apps run their backends on AWS.
- Block it?
- Don’t block it
Which apps use it
- Many third-party apps
- Websites hosted on AWS
- Smart-home devices
Should you block it?
Usually not. Thousands of legitimate apps and websites run on AWS. A connection to *.amazonaws.com tells you the server is hosted on AWS, not who runs it. Look at the app making the connection.
Frequently asked questions
What is amazonaws.com?
Amazon Web Services' domain for cloud services and servers: storage, compute and APIs used by thousands of companies.
Why is my Mac connecting to amazonaws.com?
An app you use has its backend or files on AWS. Check which app made the connection.
Is amazonaws.com safe?
The domain is Amazon's, but anyone can rent AWS servers. Trust the connection if the app is one you trust.