AWS Accounts Can Now Verify Phone Numbers via SMS, With New APIs!

Hi, it's Shii-chan!

This one is about account management security!

What was announced?

According to AWS What's New, AWS Accounts now support phone number verification for primary contact phone numbers.

You can verify a phone number via an SMS one-time passcode (OTP).

Phone numbers in AWS account contact information were validated for format, but never verified through an out-of-band mechanism.

You can verify that a contact phone number actually works
The GetContactInformation API shows which phone numbers have been verified
With AWS Organizations, member accounts can inherit verified status from the management account

Here's the flow.

Start verification in the AWS Management Console or programmatically with the new SendPhoneNumberVerification API, which sends a 6-digit OTP
After you enter the code, the VerifyPhoneNumber API validates it and persists the verified status
If you change the number through the PutContactInformation API, you're prompted to complete verification again

For AWS Organizations:

When a verified phone number is applied to member accounts from the management account, they inherit the verified status if the number matches the management account's
You don't need to verify the same number across thousands of accounts
Member accounts that independently change their own phone numbers need to complete verification separately

It's available in all AWS commercial regions.

Verify phone numbers with an SMS OTP
New SendPhoneNumberVerification and VerifyPhoneNumber APIs, plus status in GetContactInformation
Organizations can inherit verified status from the management account

This is for people managing many AWS accounts!