Black Hat Defense
AWS Penetration Testing
Uncover AWS Security Misconfigurations and Risks
Penetration testing within the AWS cloud environment presents unique challenges, requiring specialized security considerations. Although many vulnerabilities are addressed by Amazon’s built-in security protocols, the complexity of AWS services often leaves gaps that organizations may not be aware of. One of AWS’s greatest strengths is the high level of flexibility it offers users in configuring their environments. However, this same flexibility can introduce significant security risks if not properly managed.
Black Hat Defense offers specialized AWS penetration testing services to address these concerns, pinpointing configuration and implementation weaknesses that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Comparing Traditional Infrastructure and AWS Cloud Security
Security for traditional infrastructure and AWS cloud environments differ significantly. From how systems are set up to the way user identities and permissions are managed, the two systems utilize entirely different technology frameworks.
AWS's architecture is built around powerful APIs. Our security experts are deeply familiar with the AWS ecosystem and conduct tests for a variety of misconfigurations specific to AWS, including:
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Exploitation of EC2 instances and applications
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Targeting and compromising AWS IAM (Identity and Access Management) keys
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Identifying vulnerabilities in S3 bucket permissions and configurations
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Gaining unauthorized access to private cloud environments via Lambda function backdoors
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Obfuscating CloudTrail logs to cover malicious activities
AWS Cloud Security Assessment
In an AWS cloud penetration test, the client grants the Black Hat Defense team secure access to their AWS management console. With this visibility into the cloud’s implementation details, our experts can provide insights into security vulnerabilities that would typically be inaccessible to external attackers.
This testing method operates as an informed, audit-style assessment. If you're seeking a thorough security review of your AWS setup, we highly recommend this approach.
FAQ: AWS Security Testing
Can Any AWS Service Be Penetration Tested?
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In general, yes. AWS services fall into two categories when it comes to penetration testing:
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User-Managed Services: These are services primarily controlled and configured by the user, such as EC2 instances. These can be fully tested, with the exception of tests that could cause service interruptions, like denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.
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Vendor-Managed Services: Services that are managed by the vendor, such as Cloudfront or external services like Gmail or Salesforce. While these services may have security flaws, testing is usually focused on how they are implemented and configured by the user rather than on the underlying infrastructure, which is controlled by the service provider.
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For instance, as demonstrated with S3 buckets, configuration errors and permission issues can make individual instances vulnerable, but penetration testing for these services doesn't involve attacking the core infrastructure of the cloud provider.
Do I Need to Notify Amazon Before Conducting a Pentest?
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No, as of early 2019, Amazon no longer requires prior approval to perform penetration tests on their services.
