On April 12, 2024, Amazon resolved an issue with the EC2 VM Import Export Service (VMIE) affecting Windows OS imports. Before this date, customer-provided Sysprep answer files used during VM imports could create backup files containing sensitive data, accessible to users with permission to access the original file. Customers are advised to check specific file locations for the backup file (.vmimport) and restrict access or remove it. New EC2 instances launched from affected AMIs will also be affected, so customers should delete them and re-import VMs using the updated service or create new AMIs from updated instances. No action is required for users who restricted access to answer files before using the service or who used it after April 12, 2024. AWS thanks Immersive Labs for reporting the issue. For security concerns, contact [email protected].