A Deep Dive Into Cloud Security Assessments

Cloud platforms offer unparalleled scalability, flexibility, and cost-efficiency. However, the convenience and advantages of the cloud are accompanied by significant security challenges. Hackers are constantly trying to exploit weak cloud configuration settings, which is why it’s important to have visibility into the security of your organization’s cloud infrastructure.

Here, we’ll take a closer look into cloud configuration mistakes, as well as best practices to improve the cloud security posture of your organization. 

Cloud penetration test methodology

Securing cloud environments is very different from securing on-premises environments. Cloud penetration testing, often referred to as cloud security testing, is a crucial component of any organization’s cybersecurity strategy. Cloud penetration testing helps organizations proactively identify and address security weaknesses in their cloud deployments, reducing the risk of data breaches and ensuring compliance with security standards.

A well-structured methodology is key to a successful cloud security testing program.

1. Scope Definition

The first step in a cloud penetration test is to clearly define the scope of the assessment. This includes identifying the specific cloud services and assets to be tested, such as virtual machines, storage, databases, or applications. It’s important to establish the rules of engagement and any legal considerations.

2. Information Gathering

The penetration testing team collects information about the cloud environment, including its architecture, configurations, and access points. This may involve scanning for open ports, enumerating cloud services, and identifying potential targets.

3. Vulnerability Analysis

This step involves using automated tools and manual techniques to identify vulnerabilities in the cloud environment. Common vulnerabilities include misconfigured security settings, weak access controls, and outdated software.

4. Exploitation

Once vulnerabilities are identified, the penetration testers attempt to exploit them to gain unauthorized access or control over cloud resources. This stage helps assess the potential impact of these vulnerabilities.

5. Privilege Escalation

Testers may attempt to escalate privileges within the cloud environment to simulate an attacker’s ability to move laterally and gain deeper access.

6. Post-Exploitation Activities

After gaining access, testers evaluate the ability to maintain persistence, exfiltrate data, or perform other malicious actions. This helps organizations understand the full extent of the security risks.

7. Documentation and Reporting

Detailed documentation of findings, including vulnerabilities, their severity, and potential impacts, is crucial. A comprehensive report is provided to the organization, outlining recommendations for mitigating identified vulnerabilities and strengthening security.

8. Remediation and Re-Testing

Following the penetration test, the organization should prioritize and address vulnerabilities. Re-testing is essential to verify that the identified issues have been resolved effectively.

9. Continuous Monitoring

Cloud penetration testing is not a one-time exercise. It should be part of an ongoing security strategy. Continuous monitoring and periodic retesting help ensure that security remains robust in the ever-evolving cloud environment.

Cloud security auditing vs. cloud penetration testing

Two key practices that help bolster cloud security are cloud auditing and cloud penetration testing. While they both aim to enhance security, they differ in their focus, methods, and objectives.

Both can be used to test the security of your environment. Cloud penetration testing is made to simulate threat actor activity and make sure your defenses can detect the actions of a threat actor. Additionally, cloud penetration testing can detect minute misconfigurations that can result in a huge impact on your environment, such as insecure code. It also helps you to achieve compliance. Cloud security auditing, on the other hand, gives you a general overview of your cloud environment, and helps to detect the low-hanging fruit you need to address. 

Differences between AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Provider

The major cloud providers are Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Provider (GCP). It’s important to understand these major cloud service providers, their differences, and the benefits each one offers.

AWS 

Amazon Web Services contains the largest share of the cloud computing market. The main difference is that AWS’s structure is built on policies attached to a certain role. It’s all dependent on policies. 

Read more about AWS policies and best practices in the images below.

Azure

Unlike AWS, Azure is based on specific resources that the user can access. This works on a hierarchy architecture basis, with various permissions being transmitted to lower levels of access. 

Read more about AWS policies and best practices in the images below.

GCP

GCP is similar to Azure’s resource hierarchy model. It also has a high compute ability and utilizes more machine learning capabilities. 

Read more about the GCP resource hierarchy and roles in the images below.

Common privilege escalation pathways

Privilege escalation, in the context of cybersecurity and system administration, refers to the process of gaining higher levels of access and control on a computer system, network, or application than initially authorized. Common privilege escalation pathways are the methods and techniques employed by attackers to elevate their privileges and gain unauthorized access to sensitive data and system resources. Understanding these pathways is crucial for both defenders and administrators to protect against potential security breaches.

1. Weak User Passwords

One of the most common privilege escalation pathways is exploiting weak user passwords. Attackers often attempt to crack or guess passwords to gain access to user accounts. To mitigate this risk, organizations should enforce strong password policies, implement two-factor authentication, and regularly audit user accounts for weak passwords.

2. Vulnerability Exploitation

Attackers search for software vulnerabilities that can be exploited to escalate their privileges. This can include exploiting vulnerabilities in the operating system, applications, or services running on the system. Regular patch management and vulnerability scanning are essential to prevent these types of attacks.

3. Misconfigured Permissions 

Often, misconfigured file and directory permissions can provide attackers with unintended access to sensitive files or directories. This often occurs when system administrators grant excessive permissions to users or fail to restrict access properly. Regularly reviewing and tightening permissions is vital to prevent such attacks.

4. Privilege Escalation Exploits

Attackers might leverage privilege escalation exploits or zero-day vulnerabilities to gain higher access levels. These vulnerabilities are often unknown to the system administrator or the software vendor. Regular system updates and monitoring for newly discovered exploits are essential to counter this threat.

5. Malicious Software

Malware, such as rootkits or Trojans, can be used to escalate privileges. These malicious programs can manipulate the system’s security mechanisms and grant unauthorized access. Employing robust antivirus and endpoint security solutions is necessary to detect and mitigate this risk.

6. Social Engineering

Attackers may resort to social engineering techniques to manipulate employees or users into disclosing sensitive information or login credentials. Employee training and awareness programs are essential to prevent social engineering attacks.

7. Abusing Trust Relationships

In larger networks, attackers may abuse trust relationships between systems. For instance, they might compromise a less secure system and use it as a stepping stone to gain higher privileges on a more critical system. Securing trust relationships and monitoring network traffic is crucial in preventing this type of privilege escalation.

8. Kernel Exploits

Kernel-level privilege escalation exploits can provide attackers with the highest level of access on a system. Protecting against these exploits requires a well-configured and hardened operating system, as well as proactive monitoring and patching.