By Val Vask, Cybersecurity Expert and Penetration Tester
Why AWS?
As more organizations migrate their on-premise infrastructure to Amazon Web Services (AWS), the need to secure AWS assets becomes increasingly critical. Currently (as of early 2024), AWS maintains a 31% market share of the global cloud services market, making it the most popular cloud service provider in the space.
Although AWS provides many resources to secure your cloud data and applications, securing an enterprise environment from adversaries remains elusive for most organizations. This is where AWS penetration testing can help. At Invicta Solutions Group, we specialize in providing comprehensive AWS penetration testing services, helping organizations identify and mitigate vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by malicious actors.
Why AWS Penetration Testing is Essential
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AWS penetration testing involves simulating real-world attacks against your cloud infrastructure (i.e., data and applications) to determine if vulnerabilities, usually discovered by automated cloud vulnerability scanners, are exploitable. Unlike traditional on-premise environments, cloud environments introduce new challenges due to their dynamic nature, vast array of services, and the shared responsibility model.
Penetration testing the cloud, whether it is AWS, Azure, or GCP, requires a deep understanding of cloud-specific threats and tailored approach to identifying and exploiting their vulnerabilities. Our AWS security audit approach involves benchmark-based assessments as well as standard pentest methodology extended to include AWS specific security concerns and not use traditional pentesting as blanket methodology.
Which Flavor of AWS Penetration Testing Do You Prefer?
A traditional penetration test is broken up into three types: black box, gray box, or white box. The type of penetration test you choose depends on your objective:
Invicta's AWS Penetration Testing Methodology
Invicta Solutions Group developed a dynamic/adaptable/flexible/customizable AWS penetration testing methodology to thoroughly assess your AWS environment. Our core approach includes:
Reconnaissance and Information Gathering
We begin by conducting extensive scans of your AWS environment to map out public-facing assets, such as exposed files and open S3 buckets. We also map out your internal network. This involves identifying internal (non-internet-facing) assets and understanding how they are configured and interconnected. This dual approach ensures that we have a complete view of both external and internal vulnerabilities, allowing us to better anticipate and mitigate potential attack vectors.
Vulnerability Identification
We identify misconfigurations within your AWS environment, particularly in IAM policies, security groups, and resource permissions. These misconfigurations often provide attackers with opportunities to gain unauthorized access, escalate privileges, or move laterally within your cloud infrastructure.
Privilege Escalation Testing
We test the potential for privilege escalation within your AWS environment by simulating an attacker who has gained initial access. This includes exploiting misconfigured roles and policies to elevate privileges and gain access to restricted resources. We also conduct a detailed review of your IAM policies to identify any overly permissive roles or policies that could be exploited to gain higher levels of access than intended.
Lateral Movement
Our pentesters explore ways to move laterally within your AWS environment, simulating an attacker’s attempt to expand their access across different accounts or resources. This includes testing for potential pivot points within your network.
Data Exfiltration
We simulate data exfiltration scenarios to understand how an attacker could potentially steal sensitive data from your environment. This includes testing for insecure data transfers and weak encryption practices.
Reporting
After completing the penetration test, we provide you with a comprehensive report that includes a prioritized list of vulnerabilities based on their potential impact and ease of exploitation, helping you focus on the most critical issues first. We also provide clear, actionable recommendations to help you mitigate identified risks and secure your AWS environment. Our guidance is tailored to your specific environment, ensuring that you can implement effective security measures.
Remediation and Retesting
Our team is available to assist with the implementation of recommended security measures, helping you close gaps and strengthen your defenses. We offer retesting services to validate the effectiveness of remediation efforts and ensure that vulnerabilities have been successfully addressed.
Why Choose Invicta Solutions Group?
Invicta Solutions Group is dedicated to helping organizations secure their AWS environments. Our team of qualified and experienced experts offers a comprehensive suite of services, from penetration testing to purple teaming and red team assessments.
Partner with Invicta Solutions Group to fortify your AWS environment and protect your organization from potential attacks. With our expertise, you can navigate the complexities of cloud security with confidence.
