Penetration Testing and Auditing AWS

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AWS penetration testing and auditing are critical for identifying security vulnerabilities in cloud environments. Below is a structured guide with practical commands, tools, and methodologies for AWS security assessments.

You Should Know:

1. AWS Penetration Testing Tools & Commands

  • AWS CLI Reconnaissance 
    aws sts get-caller-identity  Check current AWS credentials
aws iam list-users  List all IAM users
aws iam list-roles  List all IAM roles
aws ec2 describe-instances  List all EC2 instances

  • Pacu (AWS Exploitation Framework) 

    git clone https://github.com/RhinoSecurityLabs/pacu 
python3 pacu.py

  • Scout Suite (AWS Security Auditing Tool) 

    pip install scoutsuite 
scout aws --access-keys <ACCESS_KEY> <SECRET_KEY>

2. Common AWS Security Misconfigurations

  • S3 Bucket Misconfigurations 

    aws s3 ls  List all S3 buckets 
aws s3api get-bucket-acl --bucket <BUCKET_NAME>  Check bucket permissions

  • Privilege Escalation Checks 

    aws iam get-account-authorization-details  Review IAM policies

3. AWS Penetration Testing Methodology

  1. Reconnaissance – Identify AWS resources, permissions, and attack surface.
  2. Vulnerability Scanning – Use tools like Nmap, Nessus, or TruffleHog for secrets detection.
  3. Exploitation – Test for weak IAM policies, exposed databases, or misconfigured services.
  4. Post-Exploitation – Maintain access via backdoors or escalate privileges.

4. Hardening AWS Security

  • Enable AWS GuardDuty for threat detection.
  • Use AWS Config for compliance checks.
  • Implement Least Privilege in IAM policies.

What Undercode Say:

AWS security requires continuous monitoring and proactive penetration testing. Misconfigured S3 buckets, excessive IAM permissions, and unpatched EC2 instances remain top attack vectors. Automation tools like Pacu and Scout Suite streamline assessments, but manual verification is crucial.

Expected Output:

A structured AWS security report with:

  • Exposed services
  • IAM privilege risks
  • Remediation steps

Reference: Penetration Testing and Auditing AWS | Notion

References:

Reported By: Joe Helle – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅

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