Cloud Penetration Testing
Outpacing Adversaries in the Cloud: An Offensive Security Guide
As cloud computing and adoption continue to transform industries worldwide, there’s significant worry about the security of both the infrastructure and the sensitive data uploaded to the cloud, as well as the complexity of DevSecOps as more applications are built within cloud environments.
However, traditional testing approaches have often failed to cover the wide range of risks companies face in securing their cloud resources. Effective protection requires a deeper, contextual understanding of the specific ways attackers are likely to break into your cloud environment, from your unguarded entry points to your poorly protected internal pathways and overprivileged access levels.
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KEY HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE GUIDE
Cloud Confidence: Assuring the Security of Your Environment
Why Cloud Penetration Testing? Check out our Guide for an overview of our Cloud Penetration Testing practice, approaches, and methodologies tailored to your engagement, why Cloud Penetration Testing differs from traditional cloud security reviews, and detailed results and recommendations your defenders can use to mitigate intrusion access to proven attack paths.
![Warning sign icon.](https://assets.bishopfox.com/prod-1437/Icons/Icons-for-Dark-Backgrounds/Issue.png)
81% of organizations experienced a cloud-related security incident over the last 12 months
![Cloud Testing](https://assets.bishopfox.com/prod-1437/Icons/Icons-for-Dark-Backgrounds/Cloud-Testing.png)
58% of companies plan to run more than half of their workloads in the cloud in the next 12-18 months
![Security](https://assets.bishopfox.com/prod-1437/Icons/Icons-for-Dark-Backgrounds/Security.png)
72% of companies are extremely or very concerned about their ability to secure their cloud systems
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CLOUD SECURITY THREATS
Misconfigurations, Vulnerabilities & Other Risks
Misconfigurations – errors made when setting up or subsequently changing computer assets – are the leading risk for companies using the cloud. Not only do misconfigurations leave those assets vulnerable to attack, but they can also make it harder to detect and respond quickly to malicious activity.
But while important, misconfigurations and vulnerabilities form only a fraction of the risks that security teams must account for. Others include exfiltration of sensitive data, unauthorized
access, insecure interface/APIs, external sharing, hijacking, and malicious insiders. In fact, over two-thirds (67%) of cloud security incidents involve overprivileged accounts.
![](https://assets.bishopfox.com/prod-1437/Images/pages/campaign-lander-images/2023-CPT-Guide/Stages-of-CPT-Web-1.png)
HACKING THE CLOUD
The Mechanics of Cloud Penetration Testing
Cloud penetration testing (CPT) goes beyond the limitations of baseline testing to uncover specific weaknesses and defensive gaps in a cloud environment which a cybercriminal could exploit.
During a CPT engagement, the penetration testing team will evaluate an organization’s cloud environments and all the applications, servers, and data they contain. Testers methodically follow a four-phase approach, followed by an optional fifth phase that includes re-testing the identified vulnerabilities to ensure they have been properly addressed.
![sand castle with dark purple background with cloudfox a gamified cloud hacking sandbox text displayed.](https://assets.bishopfox.com/prod-1437/Images/channels/blog/featured-images/Bishop-Fox-Blog_Cloudfoxable.png)
TOOL IN ACTION
Introducing CloudFoxable: A Gamified Cloud Hacking Sandbox
CloudFox helps penetration testers and security professionals find exploitable attack paths in cloud infrastructure. However, what if you want to find and exploit services not yet present in your current environment? What if you lack access to an enterprise AWS environment but want to learn?
Enter CloudFoxable, an intentionally vulnerable AWS environment created specifically to teach the art of AWS Cloud penetration testing, while showcasing CloudFox’s capabilities that help you find latent attack paths more effectively.
![Image](https://assets.bishopfox.com/prod-1437/Images/logos/Bishop-Fox-logo-st.png)
Find Cloud Vulnerabilities Before Adversaries Do
Whether ransomware is knocking at your door or nation-state threat actors target your sensitive data, Red Teaming provides your defenders with the tools and training to win the fight against these dangerous threats. Decrease your odds of damage - defend forward with Red Teaming to map attack paths to breaches before the adversaries find them. We hope this eBook stacks the odds in your favor to boost readiness against the worst-case scenario attacks putting your organization at risk.
— The Bishop Fox Team
Related Resources
Check out these additional cloud security resources.
![CyberRisk Alliance Survey Report cover page and preview of internal page with graph. The cover title is "As Cloud Adoption Surges, Can Security Keep Pace?"](https://assets.bishopfox.com/prod-1437/Images/channels/resources/2022-Q2-Digital-Report-CloudSurveyReport-FeaturedImage-1200x628.jpg)
CyberRisk Alliance Cloud Adoption Security Report
Explore key findings and insights from the CRA Business Intelligence Cloud Security Survey of more than 300 security leaders & practitioners.
![Penetrating the Cloud title on dark purple background and security consultants, Seth Art & Nate Robb headshots.](https://assets.bishopfox.com/prod-1437/Images/channels/events/Bishop-Fox-Webcast-Penetrating-Cloud-FI.jpg)
Penetrating the Cloud: Uncovering Unknown Vulnerabilities
Seth Art, Principal Security Consultant at Bishop Fox, and Nate Robb, Senior Operator at Bishop Fox, discuss two distinct ways (zero-knowledge & assumed-breach perspectives) to proactively identify, understand, and mitigate the most impactful vulnerabilities lurking in your cloud environment.
![Reltio chose Bishop Fox for Cloud Security Testing and Validation. Reltio Trusts Bishop Fox for Cloud Security Testing and Validation.](https://assets.bishopfox.com/prod-1437/Images/channels/case-studies/relito/reltio-case-study-card.jpg)
Reltio Trusts Bishop Fox for Cloud Security Testing and Validation