What is Cloud Penetration Testing?

What is Cloud Penetration Testing?

Cloud penetration testing is a systematic process of identifying and exploiting security vulnerabilities in cloud environments to assess their resilience against cyber attacks. Unlike traditional network penetration testing, cloud penetration testing addresses the unique architecture, shared responsibility models, and dynamic nature of cloud platforms across Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) deployments.

Modern cloud penetration testing has evolved beyond simple vulnerability scanning to evaluate complex attack paths that span multiple cloud providers, containerized workloads, serverless architectures, and infrastructure-as-code implementations. Effective testing combines automated discovery tools, increasingly augmented with AI capabilities, with expert human analysis to identify sophisticated attack chains that could compromise sensitive data or critical systems.

How Does Cloud Penetration Testing Differ from Standard Penetration Testing?

Traditional penetration testing methodologies are not cloud-native and only focus on processes relevant to on-premise environments. Cloud penetration testing also requires unique and specific expertise different from standard penetration testing. For example, cloud penetration testing would examine the security of cloud-specific configurations, cloud system passwords, cloud applications and encryption, APIs, databases, and storage access. Cloud penetration testing is also influenced by the Shared Responsibility Model, which defines who is responsible for the components within a cloud infrastructure, platform, or software.

Cloud environments require different testing approaches than traditional infrastructure:

• Scope Differences: Cloud testing encompasses infrastructure, platform, and software layers with their unique security models, while traditional testing focuses primarily on network and system security.
• Authorization Models: Cloud testing heavily focuses on complex IAM structures rather than traditional network access controls.
• Shared Responsibility: Cloud testing must consider the division of security responsibilities between customer and provider, testing only what's in customer control.
• API-Centric: Cloud exploitation often leverages API misconfigurations and weaknesses rather than traditional network-based attacks.
• Automation Focus: Cloud testing examines infrastructure-as-code and deployment pipelines in addition to running systems.
• Scale Considerations: Cloud testing must address auto-scaling resources that may not be present during initial testing phases.
• Multi-Environment: Cloud testing often spans multiple regions, accounts, and providers with different security models.

Why is Cloud Penetration Testing Important?

Cloud penetration testing is designed to assess the strengths and weaknesses of a cloud system to improve its overall security posture. Organizations accelerating their digital transformation through cloud adoption face evolving security challenges that traditional security approaches can't fully address:

• Shared Responsibility Gaps: Cloud penetration testing identifies misunderstandings in shared responsibility models that create security blind spots between customer and provider security controls.
• Configuration Complexity: The vast array of cloud services and their complex interdependencies create numerous opportunities for misconfigurations that automated compliance checks might miss.
• Multi-Cloud Attack Paths: As organizations deploy across multiple cloud providers, penetration testing reveals cross-cloud attack vectors where inconsistent security implementations create exploitable seams.
• Dynamic Infrastructure: Cloud environments change constantly through automation and self-service provisioning, creating security drift that penetration testing can identify before attackers exploit it.
• Supply Chain Vulnerabilities: Testing reveals weaknesses in the extended cloud supply chain, including container images, third-party integrations, and marketplace components that could introduce compromises.
• Regulatory Compliance: Penetration testing helps demonstrate compliance with regulations requiring regular security assessments, including emerging requirements for AI governance and data sovereignty.

What are the Benefits of Cloud Penetration Testing?

Cloud penetration testing helps organizations improve their overall cloud security, avoid breaches, and achieve compliance. In addition, organizations will gain a more comprehensive understanding of their cloud assets, in particular, how resistant the current cloud security is to attack and whether vulnerabilities exist.

Cloud Penetration Testing and the Shared Responsibility Model

Cloud penetration testing within the context of the shared responsibility model involves the examination of security in the cloud, instead of the security of the cloud. As illustrated in the figure below, the security of certain cloud components remains within the control and management of the cloud service provider (CSP), and the security of other components falls within the scope of the customer. A customer’s “service level agreement” (SLA) defines the type and scope of cloud penetration testing that is allowed and how frequently cloud pen testing can be done.

Cloud Penetration Testing within the Shared Responsibility Model

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)	Platform as as Service (PaaS)	Software as a Service (SaaS)
User Access/Identity	User Access/Identity	User Access/Identity
Data	Data	Data
Application	Application	Application
Operating System	Operating System	Operating System
Virtualization	Virtualization	Virtualization
Network	Network	Network
Infrastructure	Infrastructure	Infrastructure
Physical	Physical	Physical

Customer/Client Security Responsibility

Cloud Service Provider Security Responsibility

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Types & Methods of Cloud Penetration Testing

Cloud penetration testing will examine attack, breach, operability, and recovery issues within a cloud environment. Different types of cloud penetration testing include:

• Black Box Penetration Testing — Attack simulation in which the cloud penetration testers have no prior knowledge of or access to your cloud systems.
• Grey Box Penetration Testing — Cloud penetration testers have some limited knowledge of users and systems and may be granted some limited administration privileges.
• White Box Penetration Testing — Cloud penetration testers are granted admin or root-level access to cloud systems.

Cloud pen testing can also involve a Cloud Configuration Review.

AWS and Azure Cloud Penetration Testing

Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft’s Azure are two of the common cloud-based services that organizations use to support business activities in the cloud. Both AWS and Azure permit penetration testing relative to any infrastructure the business is hosting on the AWS or Azure platform as long as those tests fall within the list of “permitted services”. The “rules of engagement” for penetration testing on AWS and Azure can be found at these links:

• Amazon Web Services Penetration Testing
• Azure Penetration Testing
• Google Cloud Platform Penetration Testing
• Oracle Cloud Penetration Testing

Cloud Penetration Testing Scope and Process

Security professionals engaged in cloud penetration testing will typically examine three areas of scope: the cloud perimeter, internal cloud environments, and on-premise cloud management, administration, and development infrastructure.

The cloud penetration testing process often follows a prescriptive path:

1. Reconnaissance and Discovery

• Automated and manual enumeration of cloud resources across accounts and regions
• Identifying shadow IT and undocumented cloud assets
• Mapping relationships between cloud services and dependencies
• Discovering exposed assets through cloud-specific OSINT techniques
• AI-assisted analysis of cloud architecture for potential security weaknesses

2. Vulnerability Assessment

• Automated scanning for known vulnerabilities in cloud infrastructure
• Configuration analysis against security benchmarks and compliance standards
• Static analysis of infrastructure-as-code and policy definitions
• Identification of deviations from security best practices
• Systematic review of permission sets and access control lists

3. Exploitation and Privilege Escalation

• Targeted exploitation of identified vulnerabilities to validate risk
• Chaining multiple lower-risk issues into significant compromise paths
• Demonstrating potential business impact through controlled exploitation
• Privilege escalation attempts within and across cloud services
• Testing lateral movement techniques between cloud resources

4. Post-Exploitation and Impact Analysis

• Demonstrating potential data access or service disruption capabilities
• Evaluating persistence mechanisms in cloud environments
• Testing detection and response capabilities against successful compromises
• Documenting the full attack chain from initial access to objective completion
• Quantifying business risk based on successful attack scenarios

5. Reporting and Remediation Guidance

• Detailed documentation of findings with clear risk context
• Exploitation proof-of-concept details for validation
• Specific remediation recommendations mapped to cloud provider capabilities
• Prioritization guidance based on risk and exploitation difficulty
• Strategic recommendations for architectural security improvements

Cloud Security Testing Methodologies

With a standardized cloud pen testing methodology, businesses can consistently assess the security of their cloud-based applications and infrastructure; this is indispensable due to the increasing reliance on cloud services for data storage, processing, and management.

Our pen testers follow standardized methodologies to simulate instances of cloud hacking and gauge the robustness of your cloud architecture and associated systems. They then systematically evaluate your security controls and pinpoint vulnerabilities to recommend the next steps. 

Key testing methodologies:  

• OSSTMM (Open Source Security Testing Methodology Manual): Measures the operational security of information and data controls, personnel security awareness levels, levels of social engineering and/or fraud, networks, and physical access controls.
• OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project): OWASP provides tools and resources for conducting rigorous testing of online systems, including cloud pen testing tools to conduct tests of systems in the cloud.
• NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology): NIST is widely recognized and followed globally and provides guidelines, standards, and testing methods for security, including cloud computing security.
• PTES (Penetration Testing Execution Standard): PTES provides procedures for conducting penetration tests and contains seven stages: Pre-engagement Interactions, Intelligence Gathering, Threat Modeling, Vulnerability Analysis, Exploitation, Post Exploitation, and Reporting.

Most Common Cloud Security Threats

Cloud penetration testing can help prevent these most common types of cloud security threats:

• Misconfigurations
• Data Breaches (Including SaaS Data Sharing)
• Malware/Ransomware
• Vulnerabilities
• Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs)
• Supply Chain Compromises
• Insider Threats
• Weak Identities and Credentials
• Weak Access Management
• Insecure Interfaces and APIs
• Inappropriate Use or Abuse of Cloud Services
• Shared Services/Technology Concerns

Key Areas of Cloud Penetration Testing

Identity and Access Management Testing

Identity has become the primary security perimeter in cloud environments, making IAM testing critical:

• Testing for excessive permissions and privilege escalation paths across roles and service accounts
• Identifying weaknesses in federation configurations and cross-account trust relationships
• Simulating credential theft scenarios and session hijacking attempts
• Evaluating multi-factor authentication implementation and bypass techniques
• Assessing identity governance processes and detecting orphaned access rights
• Testing identity boundaries in multi-cloud environments and hybrid architectures

Infrastructure-as-Code Security Testing

Modern cloud penetration testing "shifts left" to evaluate security before deployment:

• Analyzing infrastructure-as-code templates for security weaknesses and misconfigurations
• Testing CI/CD pipelines for privilege escalation and injection vulnerabilities
• Evaluating GitOps workflows for unauthorized access opportunities
• Validating security guardrails within infrastructure automation processes
• Identifying policy-as-code weaknesses that could allow deployment of vulnerable resources

Container and Serverless Security Testing

Cloud-native architectures require specialized testing approaches:

• Testing container runtime security and escape vulnerabilities
• Evaluating serverless function permission boundaries and event-trigger security
• Identifying vulnerable dependencies in container images and function libraries
• Assessing isolation weaknesses in multi-tenant container orchestration
• Testing for lateral movement between containerized and traditional workloads
• Evaluating serverless execution environment manipulation techniques

Cloud Network Security Testing

Cloud networks operate differently than traditional infrastructure, requiring adapted testing:

• Evaluating virtual network segmentation effectiveness and security group configurations
• Testing cloud-native firewall implementations and rule consistency
• Identifying unauthorized network exposure through misconfigured load balancers or gateways
• Assessing VPC endpoint security and private link configurations
• Testing transit gateway configurations for improper routing or filtering
• Evaluating software-defined networking security controls

Cloud Storage Security Assessment

Data storage presents unique risks in cloud environments:

• Testing for misconfigured access controls on storage buckets and blob containers
• Identifying excessive public access to stored data
• Evaluating storage encryption implementation and key management practices
• Testing for metadata leakage and sensitive information exposure
• Assessing lifecycle policies and access logging configurations
• Evaluating cross-account and cross-cloud data sharing configurations

API Security Testing

APIs form the foundation of cloud services and require thorough evaluation:

• Assessing API gateway configurations and authorization mechanisms
• Testing GraphQL endpoints for information disclosure and injection vulnerabilities
• Evaluating service mesh security and micro-service authentication
• Identifying API throttling bypasses and denial-of-service vulnerabilities
• Testing machine-to-machine authentication mechanisms and token security
• Assessing API versioning security and backward compatibility issues

Multi-Cloud Attack Path Analysis

Modern environments span multiple providers requiring comprehensive testing:

• Identifying identity federation weaknesses between cloud providers
• Testing for inconsistent security controls that create exploitable gaps
• Evaluating cross-cloud privilege escalation scenarios
• Assessing data transfer security between different cloud environments
• Testing disaster recovery mechanisms for security weaknesses during failover
• Identifying orphaned resources and shadow IT across cloud providers

Supply Chain Attack Simulations

Cloud environments inherit risks from their extended supply chains:

• Testing third-party integrations and marketplace solutions for vulnerabilities
• Evaluating container image supply chain integrity and provenance
• Assessing dependency management practices and library vulnerabilities
• Testing build pipeline integrity and artifact tampering detection
• Evaluating vendor access management and third-party privilege containment
• Simulating compromises of trusted external components

Cloud Cryptography Assessment

Cryptographic testing ensures data protection even as quantum computing advances:

• Evaluating key management practices and rotation policies
• Identifying deprecated cryptographic algorithms vulnerable to modern attacks
• Assessing quantum-resistance of encryption implementations
• Testing certificate management and validation processes
• Evaluating cryptographic boundary controls for sensitive workloads
• Assessing secrets management implementations and access controls

Cloud Penetration Testing Best Practices

There are a few tips that can help ensure your cloud penetration testing activities provide the best possible security outcomes:

• Work with an experienced provider of cloud penetration testing: While many of the methods associated with cloud penetration testing are similar to those used in standard penetration testing, different areas of knowledge and experience are required.
• Maintain Clear Boundaries: Establish precise scope boundaries and ensure testing stays within authorized limits, particularly for multi-tenant services.
• Coordinate with Cloud Providers: Follow provider penetration testing policies and notification requirements to avoid triggering security alerts or violating terms of service.
• Test Development and Production: Test both development and production environments, as they often have different security configurations and risks.
• Evaluate Infrastructure-as-Code: Test infrastructure definitions and deployment pipelines, not just running environments.
• Incorporate into DevSecOps: Implement continuous penetration testing as part of CI/CD pipelines rather than periodic point-in-time assessments.
• Test Beyond Compliance: Focus on realistic attack scenarios and business risk rather than simply checking compliance boxes.
• Test Recovery Procedures: Include backup, disaster recovery, and incident response capabilities in testing scenarios.
• Address Multi-Cloud Complexity: Test for inconsistencies and security gaps between different cloud providers and hybrid environments.
• Evaluate New Technologies: Regularly update testing methodologies to address emerging technologies like serverless computing, AI/ML services, and edge computing.

Compliance Considerations in Cloud Penetration Testing

Cloud penetration testing helps organizations meet various compliance requirements:

• Industry-Specific Regulations: Meeting testing requirements for sectors like finance (PCI DSS), healthcare (HIPAA), and critical infrastructure.
• Global Data Protection Laws: Validating controls for GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, and emerging sovereign cloud requirements.
• AI Governance Frameworks: Testing security controls around AI/ML implementations as regulations evolve.
• Cloud Security Frameworks: Validating implementations against standards like CSA STAR, ISO 27017/27018, and NIST Cloud Framework.
• Supply Chain Security Requirements: Meeting emerging regulations for software supply chain security and integrity validation.

Next Steps

As you begin the cloud penetration testing process, it is important to spend some time understanding the scope of your cloud services and assets, the shared responsibility model, and how best to approach cloud penetration testing within the context of your organization’s risks and obligations. Cloud penetration testing requires a unique level of knowledge and experience, so consider working with a cloud security provider that possesses expertise specifically in cloud penetration testing. Schedule a customized security consultation today with one of the GuidePoint Security experts to help you determine your cloud penetration testing needs.