diff --git a/terraform/aws/modules/composition/jump-host/data.tf b/terraform/aws/modules/composition/jump-host/data.tf
index 69b6f7b..7fb2cd1 100644
--- a/terraform/aws/modules/composition/jump-host/data.tf
+++ b/terraform/aws/modules/composition/jump-host/data.tf
@@ -2,14 +2,14 @@ data "aws_region" "current" {}
 
 data "aws_caller_identity" "current" {}
 
-data "aws_ami" "amazon_linux_2" {
+data "aws_ami" "amazon_linux_2023" {
   count       = var.external_jump_ami_id == null || var.internal_jump_ami_id == null ? 1 : 0
   most_recent = true
   owners      = ["amazon"]
 
   filter {
     name   = "name"
-    values = ["amzn2-ami-hvm-*-x86_64-gp2"]
+    values = ["al2023-ami-2023.*-x86_64"]
   }
 
   filter {
@@ -17,6 +17,11 @@ data "aws_ami" "amazon_linux_2" {
     values = ["hvm"]
   }
 
+  filter {
+    name   = "block-device-mapping.volume-type"
+    values = ["gp3"]
+  }
+
   filter {
     name   = "state"
     values = ["available"]
diff --git a/terraform/aws/modules/composition/jump-host/locals.tf b/terraform/aws/modules/composition/jump-host/locals.tf
index 4b437e6..77e951d 100644
--- a/terraform/aws/modules/composition/jump-host/locals.tf
+++ b/terraform/aws/modules/composition/jump-host/locals.tf
@@ -12,13 +12,14 @@ locals {
     }
   )
 
-  external_ami_id = var.external_jump_ami_id != null ? var.external_jump_ami_id : data.aws_ami.amazon_linux_2[0].id
-  internal_ami_id = var.internal_jump_ami_id != null ? var.internal_jump_ami_id : data.aws_ami.amazon_linux_2[0].id
+  external_ami_id = var.external_jump_ami_id != null ? var.external_jump_ami_id : data.aws_ami.amazon_linux_2023[0].id
+  internal_ami_id = var.internal_jump_ami_id != null ? var.internal_jump_ami_id : data.aws_ami.amazon_linux_2023[0].id
 
   userdata_internal = templatefile("${path.module}/templates/userdata.sh", {
     jump_type         = "internal"
     environment       = var.environment
     cloudwatch_region = data.aws_region.current.id
     internal_jump_ip  = ""  # Not used for internal jump
+    os_username       = "ec2-user"
   })
 }
diff --git a/terraform/aws/modules/composition/jump-host/main.tf b/terraform/aws/modules/composition/jump-host/main.tf
index 3b7fdb1..6ee43e8 100644
--- a/terraform/aws/modules/composition/jump-host/main.tf
+++ b/terraform/aws/modules/composition/jump-host/main.tf
@@ -393,6 +393,7 @@ module "external_jump_instance" {
     environment       = var.environment
     cloudwatch_region = data.aws_region.current.id
     internal_jump_ip  = module.internal_jump_instance.private_ip
+    os_username       = var.ssm_os_username
   }))
 
   # Root volume configuration
diff --git a/terraform/aws/modules/composition/jump-host/outputs.tf b/terraform/aws/modules/composition/jump-host/outputs.tf
index a35de1a..28dec1a 100644
--- a/terraform/aws/modules/composition/jump-host/outputs.tf
+++ b/terraform/aws/modules/composition/jump-host/outputs.tf
@@ -91,21 +91,22 @@ output "connection_guide" {
     1. Connect to External Jump Host (via Session Manager):
        aws ssm start-session --target ${module.external_jump_instance.id}
 
-    ${var.enable_internal_jump_ssm ? "2. Connect to Internal Jump Host (via Session Manager):\n       aws ssm start-session --target ${module.internal_jump_instance.id}\n\n    3. From External Jump, SSH to Internal Jump (alternative method):\n       ssh internal-jump\n       (SSH key is automatically configured in ec2-user's home directory)\n\n    4. Manual SSH to Internal Jump (if needed):\n       ssh -i /home/ec2-user/.ssh/internal_jump_key ec2-user@${module.internal_jump_instance.private_ip}" : "2. From External Jump, SSH to Internal Jump:\n       ssh internal-jump\n       (SSH key is automatically configured in ec2-user's home directory)\n\n    3. Manual SSH to Internal Jump (if needed):\n       ssh -i /home/ec2-user/.ssh/internal_jump_key ec2-user@${module.internal_jump_instance.private_ip}"}
+    ${var.enable_internal_jump_ssm ? "2. Connect to Internal Jump Host (via Session Manager):\n       aws ssm start-session --target ${module.internal_jump_instance.id}\n\n    a. From External Jump, SSH to Internal Jump (alternative method):\n       ssh internal-jump\n       (SSH key is automatically configured in ${var.ssm_os_username}'s home directory)\n\n    b. Manual SSH to Internal Jump (if needed):\n       ssh -i /home/${var.ssm_os_username}/.ssh/internal_jump_key ec2-user@${module.internal_jump_instance.private_ip}" : "2. From External Jump, SSH to Internal Jump:\n       ssh internal-jump\n       (SSH key is automatically configured in ${var.ssm_os_username}'s home directory)\n\n    a. Manual SSH to Internal Jump (if needed):\n       ssh -i /home/${var.ssm_os_username}/.ssh/internal_jump_key ec2-user@${module.internal_jump_instance.private_ip}"}
 
-    ${var.enable_internal_jump_ssm ? "5." : "4."} Retrieve Internal Jump SSH Key (from your local machine):
+    3. Retrieve Internal Jump SSH Key (from your local machine):
        ${module.internal_jump_ssh_key_parameter.ssm_parameter_name}
        aws ssm get-parameter --name ${module.internal_jump_ssh_key_parameter.ssm_parameter_name} --with-decryption --query 'Parameter.Value' --output text > internal_jump_key.pem
        chmod 400 internal_jump_key.pem
 
-    ${var.enable_internal_jump_ssm ? "6." : "5."} View Logs:
+    4. View Logs:
        External: aws logs tail ${aws_cloudwatch_log_group.jump_host["external"].name} --follow
        Internal: aws logs tail ${aws_cloudwatch_log_group.jump_host["internal"].name} --follow
 
     IMPORTANT NOTES:
     - External Jump: Accessible via Session Manager (IAM-based auth)
+    - Default user: ${var.ssm_os_username} (Amazon Linux 2023 via SSM)
     - Internal Jump: ${var.enable_internal_jump_ssm ? "Accessible via Session Manager AND SSH from external jump" : "NO Session Manager access (must SSH from external jump)"}
-    - Default user: ec2-user (Amazon Linux 2)
+    - Default user: ec2-user (Amazon Linux 2023)
     - SSH key stored in SSM Parameter Store: ${module.internal_jump_ssh_key_parameter.ssm_parameter_name}
 
     Prerequisites:
diff --git a/terraform/aws/modules/composition/jump-host/templates/userdata.sh b/terraform/aws/modules/composition/jump-host/templates/userdata.sh
index 60ab007..f54670a 100644
--- a/terraform/aws/modules/composition/jump-host/templates/userdata.sh
+++ b/terraform/aws/modules/composition/jump-host/templates/userdata.sh
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ set -e
 JUMP_TYPE="${jump_type}"
 ENVIRONMENT="${environment}"
 CLOUDWATCH_REGION="${cloudwatch_region}"
+OS_USERNAME="${os_username}"
 %{ if jump_type == "external" ~}
 INTERNAL_JUMP_IP="${internal_jump_ip}"
 %{ endif ~}
@@ -25,6 +26,17 @@ systemctl restart sshd
 
 # Type-specific configuration
 if [ "$JUMP_TYPE" = "external" ]; then
+  # Check to see whether SSM access username exists, creating it and its similarly named group, and home directory if not.
+  if ! id -u $OS_USERNAME >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    useradd --create-home --user-group --shell /bin/bash $OS_USERNAME
+
+    # Create sudoers file to allow SSM access username to execute commands as root without password, same as SSM Agent would have.
+    cat > /etc/sudoers.d/ssm-agent-users <<SUDOEOF
+# User rules for $OS_USERNAME
+$OS_USERNAME ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL
+SUDOEOF
+  fi
+
   # External jump - retrieve internal jump SSH key from SSM
   # This works because external jump has IAM permissions to read from SSM
   INTERNAL_SSH_KEY_OUTPUT=$(aws ssm get-parameter \
@@ -41,32 +53,35 @@ if [ "$JUMP_TYPE" = "external" ]; then
   fi
   INTERNAL_SSH_KEY="$INTERNAL_SSH_KEY_OUTPUT"
 
-  # Store SSH key for ec2-user
-  mkdir -p /home/ec2-user/.ssh
-  echo "$INTERNAL_SSH_KEY" > /home/ec2-user/.ssh/internal_jump_key
-  chmod 600 /home/ec2-user/.ssh/internal_jump_key
-  chown ec2-user:ec2-user /home/ec2-user/.ssh/internal_jump_key
+  # Store SSH key for OS user
+  mkdir -p /home/$OS_USERNAME/.ssh
+  chmod 700 /home/$OS_USERNAME/.ssh
+  echo "$INTERNAL_SSH_KEY" > /home/$OS_USERNAME/.ssh/internal_jump_key
+  chmod 600 /home/$OS_USERNAME/.ssh/internal_jump_key
 
   # Create SSH config for easy connection
-  cat > /home/ec2-user/.ssh/config <<SSHEOF
+  cat > /home/$OS_USERNAME/.ssh/config <<SSHEOF
 Host internal-jump
     HostName $INTERNAL_JUMP_IP
     User ec2-user
     IdentityFile ~/.ssh/internal_jump_key
     StrictHostKeyChecking no
 SSHEOF
-  chmod 600 /home/ec2-user/.ssh/config
-  chown ec2-user:ec2-user /home/ec2-user/.ssh/config
+  chmod 600 /home/$OS_USERNAME/.ssh/config
+
+  # Finally, recursively set ownership of the entire home directory
+  chown -R $OS_USERNAME:$OS_USERNAME /home/$OS_USERNAME
 
   echo "External jump configured. Internal jump: $INTERNAL_JUMP_IP"
 fi
 
-# Create MOTD
-cat > /etc/motd <<EOF
+# Create custom MOTD in a way it won't be overwritten by cloud-init or other services and is shown at the end of the default MOTD content.
+# Note that motd doesn't get shown when logging in via SSM Session Manager, but it will if logging in via SSH
+cat > /etc/motd.d/40-hyperswitch <<EOF
 ================================================================================
   $JUMP_TYPE Jump Host - $ENVIRONMENT Environment
 
-  Default User: ec2-user
+  Default User: $OS_USERNAME
   Access: AWS Systems Manager Session Manager
 $([ "$JUMP_TYPE" = "external" ] && echo "  SSH to Internal: ssh internal-jump")
 
@@ -74,4 +89,6 @@ $([ "$JUMP_TYPE" = "external" ] && echo "  SSH to Internal: ssh internal-jump")
 ================================================================================
 EOF
 
+update-motd
+
 echo "Jump host setup complete for $JUMP_TYPE in $ENVIRONMENT"
diff --git a/terraform/aws/modules/composition/jump-host/variables.tf b/terraform/aws/modules/composition/jump-host/variables.tf
index eea8a5f..0901775 100644
--- a/terraform/aws/modules/composition/jump-host/variables.tf
+++ b/terraform/aws/modules/composition/jump-host/variables.tf
@@ -80,4 +80,10 @@ variable "enable_internal_jump_ssm" {
   description = "Enable SSM Session Manager access for internal jump host. When true, adds SSM policies to internal jump IAM role"
   type        = bool
   default     = false
+}
+
+variable "ssm_os_username" {
+  description = "OS username for SSM Session Manager access. Defaults to the standard username used by SSM Agent. Can be overridden based on your environment and SSM config."
+  type        = string
+  default     = "ssm-user"
 }
\ No newline at end of file