Cloud computing is a game-changer for small businesses. It offers many benefits, such as scalability, flexibility, cost-efficiency, and innovation. But it also comes with many challenges, especially in terms of security. According to a report by IBM, 19% of the data breaches in 2020 involved cloud misconfigurations, resulting in an average cost of $4.41 million.

Penetration testing, or pentesting, is a proactive and effective way to improve your cloud security and compliance. It involves simulating a real-world cyberattack on your cloud-based systems, platforms, and services, to identify and exploit vulnerabilities. By doing so, you can discover and fix security gaps before hackers find and abuse them, and avoid costly and damaging consequences.

But how do you pentest the cloud, and what are the best practices and tools to do it? In this blog post, we will explain the basics of pentesting for cloud environments and share some tips and tricks on how to hack the cloud.

What is Pentesting for Cloud Environments?

Pentesting for cloud environments, also known as cloud pentesting or cloud security testing, is the process of evaluating the security of cloud-based systems and infrastructure, to identify potential vulnerabilities and weaknesses. The goal of cloud penetration testing is to simulate real-world attacks and provide insights into the security posture of the cloud environment.

Cloud pentesting is different from traditional pentesting, as it involves testing not only the applications and data hosted in the cloud, but also the cloud service models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) and cloud providers (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, etc.). Cloud pentesting also requires different tools and techniques, as well as different permissions and agreements, depending on the type and scope of the cloud environment.

How to Pentest the Cloud

Before you start pentesting the cloud, you need to do some preparation work to ensure a smooth and effective penetration test.

Pentesting Steps

Define your goals and scope.

What are the objectives and outcomes of the penetration test? What systems, platforms, or services do you want to test? How deep and comprehensive do you want the pentest to be? How much time and budget do you have for the pentest? These questions will help you determine the type and scope of the penetration test, as well as the expectations and deliverables.

Choose a pentest provider.

Reputable penetration testing requires a qualified provider. Prioritize relevant certifications, experience, and client references. Don't forget to evaluate their methodology, tools, and reporting standards. Protect your data with a solid contract and NDA.

Communicate with your stakeholders.

Inform and involve your internal and external stakeholders in the penetration test process. These include your management, IT staff, legal team, and third-party vendors. Communicate the goals, scope, timeline, and expected outcomes of the penetration test, as well as the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder. You should also get their consent and cooperation for the pentest, especially if the pentest involves sensitive or critical systems or data.

Backup your data and systems.

Pentesting can be disruptive and potentially damaging to your cloud environment, especially if the pentest is intrusive or aggressive. Therefore, you should backup your data and systems before the pentest and have a contingency plan in case something goes wrong. You should also isolate or disable any systems or functions that are not in the scope of the pentest, or that could interfere with the pentest results.

Once you have prepared for the pentest, you can start the pentest process with your pentest provider or team. The pentest process typically consists of four phases.

Phases of a Penetration Test

Planning.

In this phase, you and your pentest provider or team will review and finalize the goals, scope, methodology, and timeline of the pentest. You will also agree on the rules of engagement, such as the level of access, the attack vectors, the escalation procedures, and the communication channels.

Execution.

In this phase, the pentest provider or team will perform the penetration test according to the agreed plan. They will use various tools and techniques to scan, probe, and attack your cloud systems, platforms, or services, and try to find and exploit vulnerabilities. They will also document and record their findings and actions.

Reporting.

In this phase, the pentest provider or team will analyze and summarize their findings and actions in a pentest report. The pentest report should include the following information:

• An executive summary that highlights the main findings, risks, and recommendations
• A technical summary that details the methodology, tools, and results of the pentest
• A list of vulnerabilities, ranked by severity and impact, with evidence and screenshots
• A list of recommendations, with remediation steps and best practices
• A list of limitations, assumptions, and caveats of the pentest

Remediation.

In this phase, you and your IT staff will review the pentest report and implement the recommendations. You should prioritize the most critical and urgent vulnerabilities. You should also verify and validate the remediation actions and document the changes and improvements. You may also request a a follow-up pentest to confirm that the vulnerabilities have been resolved.

Best Practices and Tools for Pentesting the Cloud

Pentesting the cloud is not a one-time activity, but a continuous and iterative process. You should pentest your cloud environment regularly, as well as whenever there are significant changes or updates to your cloud systems, platforms, or services. You should also follow the best practices and use the best tools for pentesting the cloud.

Follow the cloud provider's guidelines and policies.

Each cloud provider has its own guidelines and policies for penetration testing their cloud environment. You should follow them to avoid violating their terms of service or causing unwanted disruptions or damages. For example, AWS requires you to request permission and provide details before conducting a penetration test on their cloud environment. Azure also has a similar policy and process for pentesting their cloud environment.

Use the cloud provider's tools and services.

Each cloud provider also offers various tools and services to help you pentest their cloud environment. You should use them to complement your own tools and techniques, and to leverage the cloud provider's expertise and insights. For example, AWS offers AWS Security Hub, AWS Inspector, and AWS Trusted Advisor, which can help you monitor, assess, and improve your cloud security posture. Azure also offers Azure Security Center, Azure Sentinel, and Azure Advisor, which can provide similar functions and benefits.

Use third-party tools and frameworks.

In addition to the cloud provider's tools and services, you should also use third-party tools and frameworks to pentest your cloud environment. These tools and frameworks can provide more features and functionalities, as well as more diversity and flexibility, to enhance your penetration test process and results. For example, some of the popular third-party tools and frameworks for pentesting the cloud are Nmap, Metasploit, Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP, and Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) Cloud Controls Matrix (CCM).

Conclusion

Pentesting the cloud is a vital and valuable practice for small businesses to improve their cloud security and compliance. However, pentesting the cloud is not a simple or straightforward process, and it requires proper planning and execution to ensure its effectiveness and success.

One of the most important factors for successful penetration testing the cloud is having a clear and comprehensive pentest report that details the findings and recommendations of the pentest. The pentest report should guide you through the pentest process, which consists of four steps: preparing, executing, reporting, and remediating.

If you need help with pentesting the cloud or other cloud security services, please contact us today. We are a trusted and experienced cloud security provider that can help you achieve your business goals.