Cloud environments have redefined the attack surface and with them, the role of penetration testing. What used to be a matter of scanning ports and identifying known exploits is now about understanding complex trust relationships, misconfigured identities, and services that rarely behave consistently.
This guide breaks down how to approach cloud penetration testing with the depth and precision modern infrastructure demands.
What is Cloud Penetration Testing?
Cloud penetration testing is the process of simulating real-world attacks across cloud services, identities, and workloads to understand how an adversary could move through your environment. This involves testing IAM policies, role assumptions, privilege escalation paths, misused managed services, and data exposure points that are unique to the cloud.
In modern environments, the true value of a pentest lies in what it validates.
- Does your segmentation hold?
- Can a compromised developer account reach production?
- Is your detection stack catching lateral movement across cloud-native boundaries?
Effective cloud pentesting answers these questions with objective evidence, not assumptions.
Importance of Cloud Pentesting
Cloud pentesting will help maintain the strong security posture of the public and private clouds. Its importance is highlighted by real-world incidents such as the 2019 Capital One data breach.
In this case, a misconfigured web application firewall (WAF) on AWS allowed an attacker to access over 100 million customer records. If only it had undergone a regular penetration test, this misconfiguration could have been identified before being compromised.
So, What Advantages does a Cloud Pentest Offer?
- Vulnerability Discovery: Find weaknesses in the cloud with greater detail and speed and at a fraction of the cost compared to traditional tools.
- Risk Assessment: Provides visibility into the organization’s cloud security risks to focus remediation on high-risk items.
- Compliance Requirements: Ensures adherence to industry standards and regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI-DSS.
- Incident Response Improvement: Pentest security controls and incident response procedures in the company’s cloud infrastructure.
- Lower Cost: Identifying and correcting vulnerabilities early costs less than managing a security breach.
- Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM): Evaluates the security and cloud service providers and third-party integrations being used.
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Types of Cloud Computing Models
Knowledge of various cloud computing models is mandatory when performing cloud penetration tests, as each model has security implications.
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
IaaS delivers virtualized computing resources over the Internet. Users have influence over OS, storage, and running applications, but not the whole cloud infrastructure.
- Examples: Amazon EC2, Google Compute Engine, Microsoft Azure VMs
- Emphasis mine: Network security, VM hardening, IAM
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
PaaS provides a complete platform, allowing customers to develop, run, and manage applications without the complexity of building and maintaining the infrastructure required to develop and launch an app.
- Examples: Google App Engine, Heroku, Microsoft Azure App Service
- Security emphasis – application security, API security, data protection
Software as a Service (SaaS)
SaaS gives users access to applications over the Internet, which means that SaaS customers do not have to handle installations or run the applications on their own computers.
- For Example, Salesforce, Google Workspace, and Microsoft 365.
- Key features: Security, Data security Details, and User access controls. Integration security
Penetration testing approaches must be customized in each model based on the components under the customer’s purview or control and considering distinct attack surfaces presented by different services.
A good cloud penetration testing scope addresses the shared responsibility model and degree of control for each type of cloud computing item.
Why Astra is the best in Cloud Pentesting?
- We’re the only company that combines artificial intelligence & manual pentest to create a one-of-a-kind pentest platform.
- Runs 180+ test cases based on industrial standards.
- Integrates with your CI/CD tools to help you establish DevSecOps.
- A dynamic vulnerability management dashboard to manage, monitor, assign, and update vulnerabilities.
- Award publicly verifiable pentest certificates which you can share with your users.
- Helps you stay compliant with SOC2, ISO27001, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, etc.
- Trusted by the brands you trust like Agora, Spicejet, Muthoot, Dream11, etc.
Cloud Penetration Testing Methodology
Step 1: Inventory Mapping
The initial crucial step for a cloud penetration test is Inventory Mapping. It means identifying and inventorying all the cloud-based assets in a target environment. You identify the complete attack surface, ensuring no crucial component is missed during testing.
You can also use a cloud-native toolset and third-party solutions to perform in-depth discovery. As part of this step, list all segregated compute resources, storage resources, Databases, network components, and identity and access management (entities).
Step 2: Cloud Configuration Review
One of the most important parts of a cloud pentest is identifying misconfigurations that can be exploited. This phase is called cloud configuration review.
In this phase, you need to have excellent knowledge of all services used in the cloud infrastructure and best practices from each cloud provider. Now, let us dissect this for the three largest cloud providers: AWS, GCP, and Azure.
How to Pentest AWS Cloud
Penetration testing in the AWS Penetration Testing Service means extensive scanning of each service and its configurations. Use the AWS Command Line Interface (CLI) for initial reconnaissance and data gathering. Then, specific tools should focus on more important surface-level areas.
Tools to be used:
- AWS CLI: Official AWS command-line tool for Amazon resources.
- Scout Suite – Open-source multi-cloud security auditing tool
- Pacu: An Open-source AWS Exploitation Framework
- CloudMapper – Tool to Generate Network Diagram of AWS Environment
- S3Scanner: A S3 bucket finder & hacker To begin to develop our custom brute forcer.
How to Pentest GCP Cloud
GCP penetration testing requires a thorough understanding of Google Cloud Services and their security models. The process incorporates GCP-native tools and third-party solutions to find possible threats in the GCP cloud.
Tools to be used:
- GCP CLI: (gcloud): An official command-line tool for GCP
- G-Scout: GCP Security Scanner Automatic.Scan
- GCPBucketBrute: Google Storage Bucket Enumeration Tool from Darklon3strcmp
- Forseti Security: Another open-source tool that secures your GCP infra and enforces policies.
How to Pentest Azure Cloud
Azure penetration testing is a security attack on the Microsoft Azure cloud to identify vulnerabilities in Azure services, including VMs, storage accounts, Vnets, etc.
Tools to be used:
- Command-Line Tool – to Manage Azure Resources from Microsoft.
- Azucar – Azure Auditing Tool
- MicroBurst – Scripts for Azure security assessment
- Stormspotter – Attack graph To create attack graphs inside an Azure environment.
Step 3: VAPT ( Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing )
In this stage, you need to find different types of vulnerabilities and try to exploit them so that it will help the organization. It combines automated scanning (as discussed in the previous step) with manual testing techniques to comprehensively assess the cloud environment’s security posture.
Begin with cloud-native and third-party tools that can perform automated vulnerability scanning.
Major cloud providers also offer their own security assessment services, including AWS Inspector, Azure Security Center, and Google Cloud Security Command Center. With these tools, you can easily find misconfigurations and common vulnerabilities for each cloud platform.
For a more in-depth analysis, you can also utilize market-tested vulnerability scanners, such as Astra Security, Nessus, Qualys, or Tenable. These VAPT tools are often configured to scan cloud environments and contain specific modules/plug-ins for cloud services.
Step 4: Reporting
The reporting part of a cloud penetration test is essential. It involves taking technical discoveries and putting them in simple language for the client. A good report should graphically display the findings, highlight areas that could be exploited, and outline the necessary fixes.
Structure your findings, detailing every vulnerability (describing the issue and potential impact) and proofing how to reproduce it. Utilize a widely recognized vulnerability scoring system, such as CVSS, to aid in prioritizing findings.
Don’t miss out on an executive summary and a technical section. The guidance should outline a clear path for developers to remediate each vulnerability.
Step 5: Remediation
This is where you analyze your penetration test results to enhance the overall security of your environment. This stage should be conducted in close cooperation between the penetration testing team and the client’s development team.
Step 6: Verifying Fixes
The last phase of cloud penetration testing is verifying that the provided solutions have fixed the identified vulnerabilities. For complex vulnerabilities or significant modifications of the cloud infrastructure, these targeted retests may range from comprehensive to more extensive.
Of course, pay special attention to critical vulnerabilities. A stronger test than usual will likely be required to confirm that they have been completely mitigated.
For example, if significant misconfigured IAM permissions are detected, verify that the new structure adheres to the principle of least privilege and doesn’t allow unauthorized access.
Key Areas of Focus in Cloud Penetration Testing
While the term’ cloud penetration testing’ itself is broad and encompasses various disciplines, several core aspects require a definite focus due to their adverse impact on the overall security posture. It can be broken down into three broad categories: cloud application security, Cloud Infrastructure security, and cloud compliance and governance.
Cloud Infrastructure Security
The core element of securing a cloud environment is conducting a cloud infrastructure penetration test. This process assesses virtual machines and containers (the units that make cloud deployments).
Pentesters review the VM configuration, patch level, and access controls to find possible security issues. Image security, runtime protection, and orchestration platform configurations are additional factors to consider in container security.
Networking and firewalls are critical, so you must closely examine the network segmentation and routing configurations between nodes, as well as the firewall rules, to enforce appropriate isolation and access control.
Storage and data management are also key concerns. For example, do they meet criteria for controlling data access between storage services, are there standards for when to delete persistent data, and so forth?
Cloud Application Security
Cloud application security is another important aspect that should be considered during penetration testing. All Web applications and APIs are deployed in the cloud, and their distributed nature makes them prone to configuration issues.
Pentesers target other things of interest beyond the application logic, including web vulnerabilities typical across systems, API security concerns, and misconfigurations found in cloud-specific configurations.
Since serverless functions are fairly new nowadays, you have to be careful about how the function responds to triggers or its execution permissions and the risk of leaking data.
Also, you will need to double down on IAM, or identity and access management, since this is a critical part of cloud security – you want only the right users in your organization looking around where they should be.
Compliance & Governance for clouds
Third and last is cloud compliance and governance. Penetration testers must check that cloud deployments comply with industry-specific regulations such as HIPAA for healthcare or PCI DSS for payment card data.
This consists of checking data access and storage methods, how systems logs are monitored, and so on.
The increasingly strict data privacy and protection regulations, such as GDPR, have forced pentesters to assess details of where the client stores your data, how it respects your rights as a “data subject,” and mechanisms that ensure cross-border data transfer.
Critical security policies and procedures are also reviewed to determine whether they are based on best practices for cloud deployment.
Astra Pentest is built by the team of experts that helped secure Microsoft, Adobe, Facebook, and Buffer
Cloud Pentesting Industry Standards
Guidelines like the OWASP Top 10 and NIST further define cloud security penetration testing best practices and standards, encouraging thoroughness and standardization in security assessments across different cloud environments:
- OWASP Cloud Security Project: This expansive framework for cloud security assessment includes the Cloud Security Testing Guide. It includes infrastructure and application-level considerations so pentesters or cloud users can gain practical doables.
- CSA Cloud Controls Matrix: The details of security controls are available in the CSA Cloud Controls Matrix, which is mapped to different industry standards. A penetration tester uses this matrix as a checklist, including several domains like application security, encryption, and identity management.
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5: This is important in government and other highly regulated sectors because the capability highlights risk management and system-specific security requirements.
- PCI DSS: The PCI DSS Cloud Computing Guidelines guide security considerations for protecting payment card data in cloud environments. This is crucial for pen testers working in environments that store payment card data under constraints unique to the cloud.
Tools and Frameworks for Cloud Penetration Testing
Various tools and frameworks are available for cloud-based penetration testing checklists. Let’s take a broader look at them:
1. Open Source Tools: Scout Suite, Pacu, and CloudSploit are open-source tools that provide performance without licensing costs. Scout Suite provides multi-cloud security assessments (other similar tools are available).
Pacu is a tool capable of simulating AWS attack scenarios and CloudSploit checks against over 1000 automated best practice tests across Amazon Web Services (AWS) environments. This platform also provides additional support in scanning accounts spread out across multiple regions.
This, along with other tools like CloudMapper, keeps development open and driven by the community.
2. Commercial cloud security platforms, such as Astra Security, Qualys Cloud Platform, Tenable.io, and Rapid7 InsightVM, offer enterprise-level solutions, enabling continuous monitoring, automated scanning, and compliance reporting. Additional capabilities, such as asset discovery and risk prioritization, often enhance testing efficiency in complex environments.
3. Cloud provider-native tools, such as AWS Inspector, offer integrated security assessment and monitoring services. These tools provide specific views into the platforms, enhancing third-party testing with ongoing feedback and real-time security data.
The tools in each category possess unique attributes that excel in specific forms of penetration testing for cloud, thereby contributing to the creation of a well-rounded security analysis.
Challenges and Considerations in Penetration Testing for Cloud
The dynamic and complex nature of cloud environments makes penetration testing more challenging. Some of the challenges during this phase require pentesters to modify their approach to pentesting and focus on key points. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Necessitates Clearly Scoped Tests
The shared responsibility model approach requires carefully scoped tests that target areas under client control and clearly define boundaries with the cloud provider’s offerings. This requires clear communication and a deep understanding of cloud architectures.
Navigating Jurisdictional Claims
Distributed cloud environments also present complicated issues surrounding legality and ethics. In some instances, penetration testers must also navigate jurisdictional claims and data protection laws (for example, the Service Agreement), particularly in multi-tenant scenarios.
These activities require proper authorization and data-handling practices.
Need For Auto-Scalability
The characteristics of cloud resources are dynamic, including fast provisioning and auto-scalability, which necessitate agile testing. Static, point-in-time assessments can rapidly become outdated, and a process is needed to monitor and adjust them.
How Astra Security Helps You Secure Your Cloud Environment?
Astra Security’s cloud pentesting offering blends automated scanning and expert-driven manual testing to uncover deep, actionable vulnerabilities in AWS, Azure, and GCP environments. From misconfigurations and exposed services to logic flaws and privilege escalations, our Offensive Security Engine runs 400+ cloud-specific test cases while our security team layers on custom tests tailored to your infrastructure.
Covering critical vectors across cloud storage, networking, and IAM, we evaluate configurations against CIS benchmarks, analyze access controls in line with the PoLP, and flag gaps using industry frameworks like the CSA Cloud Controls Matrix (CCM).
The built-in business logic testing helps expose hidden issues like privilege escalation, insecure workflows, and data access bypasses often missed by automated tools.
Let experts find security gaps in your cloud infrastructure
Pentesting results without 100 emails,
250 google searches, or painstaking PDFs.
Inside Astra’s platform, all vulnerabilities (manual or automated) are delivered with clear impact, reproduction steps, and remediation guidance. With configuration reviews, gap analysis, real-time fix validation, and audit-ready reporting, you can review authentication setups, security groups, firewall rules, and encryption policies through a dedicated dashboard.
Astra Pentest is built by the team of experts that helped secure Microsoft, Adobe, Facebook, and Buffer
Final Thoughts
Modern cybersecurity plans require cloud pentesting (a must-have), a solution that enables organizations to identify and remediate security vulnerabilities, typically in a tightly integrated cloud environment. This keeps the infrastructure and applications safe from threats and enables compliance across the multi-cloud area.
The process requires a deep theoretical understanding of cloud architectures, as well as a comprehension of specific challenges, such as the shared responsibility model and dynamic environments.
Routine penetration testing keeps organizations informed of rapidly changing threats and maintains compliance with industry regulations. By embracing cloud penetration testing as a continuous process, businesses can utilize the latest technology while efficiently managing security risks.
This zero-trust approach secures assets and builds a reputation with stakeholders, further aiding business objectives in increasing cloud reliance.
FAQs
Does AWS conduct penetration testing?
No, AWS doesn’t pentest your environment directly but allows you to host pentesting tools on it. It also allows you to perform penetration testing, including activities like vulnerability scanning, exploitation attempts, and code injection, but it excludes DoS attacks without prior approval.
How do I become a cloud pentester?
Cloud pen testing blends IT security and hacking skills. Start with general IT or cybersecurity roles to build a foundation. Then focus on cloud platforms like AWS or Azure through courses and certifications (Security+ or CCSP). Practice with CTFs and labs to hone your hands-on skills in finding and exploiting cloud vulnerabilities.
What is cloud security testing?
Cloud security testing safeguards your confidential information in the cloud and checks your cloud provider’s security measures and your cloud-based applications for weaknesses that hackers could exploit.
What are the Benefits of Cloud Penetration Testing?
Doing a cloud penetration test provides a lot of benefits, mainly through-
1. Finding vulnerabilities to be fixed thereby ensuring the safety of the customer data stored.
2. Helping improve the cloud security system currently in place.
3. Allowing organizations to be compliant with various standards and regulations like ISO 27001, HIPAA, and more.
4. Building trust between cloud providers and customers by establishing the security of data at rest and in transit.
5. Helping maintain reputation and preventing any monetary losses for organizations using it.
Hope this clarifies your doubt.
What is shared responsibility model in cloud?
Hey Daniel, shared responsibility model in cloud refers to following a precise set of rules with a clear understanding between both parties i.e. the cloud provider and customers regarding their obligations and areas of accountability.