Error: dynamodb request is missing authentication token

“Request is missing authentication token” means the request lacks the authentication information DynamoDB expects. Use an AWS SDK or CLI to sign it with Signature Version 4. Opening a DynamoDB endpoint in a browser or sending an unsigned curl request does not authenticate an API call.

1. Use a configured profile locally or the workload’s IAM role in AWS. Let the SDK credential provider obtain and refresh credentials.
2. If supplying temporary credentials through the environment, include AWS_SESSION_TOKEN along with the access key ID and secret access key. Refresh expired sessions.
3. Check that custom HTTP code, a proxy, or an endpoint override is not dropping signing headers or sending the request to the wrong service.
4. After authentication succeeds, diagnose any AccessDeniedException using the identity and required DynamoDB action.

import boto3

# Local profile; for an AWS workload role, omit profile_name.
session = boto3.Session(profile_name="dev", region_name="us-west-2")
db = session.client("dynamodb")
response = db.describe_table(TableName="Orders")

Do not embed access keys in source code. DynamoDB Local also needs credentials for SDK signing, but accepts dummy values when explicitly paired with the local endpoint.

See local credential setup and AWS documentation.