INTRODUCTION TO AWS PENTESTING

Determine Misconfigurations in AWS and their Impacts to your SecurityDescription of content

Pen testing on the Amazon Web Services cloud is unique, bearing its own security focuses. While some vulnerabilities are allayed through AWS’s security settings, the intricacy of these measures exposes many businesses. The extensive flexibility that is provided to AWS customers in constructing their AWS environment is one of Amazon Web Services’ greatest features. While the flexibility is a performance and commercial strength, it is also a major security risk. 

PrimoConnect’s AWS penetration testing services are directed explicitly at these weaknesses, pinpointing the configuration and deployment defect which are regularly ignored.

AWS Penetration Testing vs Traditional Network Infrastructure Testing

Conventional defensive security architecture and AWS clouds vary in a number of ways. From implementation and setup to identity and staff permissions, the infrastructure differences could not be clear.

The AWS technology stack is made up of a set of robust APIs. PrimoConnect’s highly experienced, certified and accredited ethical hackers test for a range of misconfigurations specific to AWS, including but not limited to EC2 instance and app exploitation, focusing on and compromising AWS IAM keys, testing S3 bucket config and permission flaws, accessing on-premise or private cloud through Lambda backdoor functions and covering tracks by conceal CloudTrail logs.

Pentesting of the AWS Cloud

 With a customer-provided secure account on the AWS management console, the PrimoConnect pentesting team can begin an AWS cloud assessment. Providing this login to view specific setup particulars, PrimoConnect’s AWS specialists can offer direction on security details otherwise unavailable to potential hackers.

This method was created purposefully as an informed approach in the style of an audit. If you are wanting a deep security assessment of your AWS infrastructure, this approach is best.

Can I get Penetration Testing on any Amazon Service?

Effectively, yes. Cloud providers typically provide two types of cloud service:

  • User-Operated Services – these cloud services are predominantly constructed and configured by the customer’s in-house team themselves, with little communication with the Cloud provider (such as EC2).  Essentially, these can be comprehensively assessed and have few constraints except for DDoS and other interruptions to business-as-usual.

  • Vendor-Operated Services – hosting services that are retained and managed by the hosting provider, and sold ‘as-a-service’. E.g. Outlook, Google Drive, Shopify, and AWS services like Cloudfront. That is not saying that deployments of these services don’t have vulnerabilities, but just that the security auditing targets implementation and configuration, rather than the architecture testing – which is maintained by the owner.

As with situations like the S3 buckets storage with AWS, there are many misconfigurations, permissions, and setup errors that can make certain instances become security weaknesses, but pen testing on those platforms does not involve hacking the Cloud provider infrastructure itself.

Do I need to Advise Amazon of Pentesting AWS infrastructure?

Not since early 2019 has Amazon required prior-approval of a penetration test. Please check with our senior pen testers or your account manager for the latest situation in case this has changed since time of writing.

AWS Penetration Testing – Request A Quote

Penetration testing AWS cloud environments should be made as simple and efficient as possible.

Provide us with details on your specific security requirements and a security expert will contact you as soon as possible.  We can walk you through the entire process of penetration testing your AWS environment.

We respond to all enquiries within the same business day