Table of content:
The Pen Testing Methodology:
Using AWS to Penetrate Applications:
Using AWS to Access Data:
Using AWS to Attack Applications:
Using AWS for Application Security Testing:
Conclusion:
INTRODUCTION: How often have you seen a penetration test report where the target was using Amazon Web Services (AWS)? The problem is that AWS offers a very secure environment, so attackers are forced to come up with new ways to compromise systems.
AWS has become a major player in the cloud computing space, offering its clients a variety of services at competitive prices. In order to stay ahead of their competitors, hackers are constantly looking for new ways to penetrate the security of these platforms.
You may think you know everything about Amazon Web Services (AWS), but there are still some tricks up their sleeves. This article will show you how to use AWS to test your web applications without having to worry about security issues.
The Pen Test Methodology:
What is a pen Testing ?
A pen test is a security assessment that involves the use of tools and techniques to identify vulnerabilities in computer systems and networks. A pen tester (penetration tester) is someone who performs these tests.
Why do we need pen testing?
Pen testing is a way to find out what’s going on inside a network or computer system. If you want to know how secure a website is, you could go to the site and try to hack it. But if you’re not sure whether it’s safe, you may want to hire a professional hacker to check it out first.
How does a pen tester perform a pen Testing ?
There are many different ways to perform a pen test. One method is called passive scanning. Passive scanning uses software to search for weaknesses in a network or computer system without actually breaking any rules. Another type of pen test is active scanning. Active scanning involves hacking into a network or computer system and trying to break its defenses.
What are some of the advantages of using a pen tester?
Using a pen tester gives you several advantages. First, it helps you make sure that everything is working properly. Second, it lets you know if there are any holes in your security. Third, it lets you know what kind of problems you might have to deal with down the road. Fourth, it lets you know how much time and money you’ll spend fixing those problems.
What are some of the disadvantages of using a pen tester?
One disadvantage of using a pen taster is that it can cost a lot of money. Also, sometimes people don’t tell them about their security measures. And finally, sometimes people don’t trust them enough to give them access to their computers.
Using AWS to Penetrate Applications:
The AWS Cloud Computing Platform consists of three major components:
EC2 – Elastic Compute Cloud:
EC2 is a virtualized compute instance that runs on Amazon’s own hardware. You pay only for what you use, and you can scale your instances up or down at any time. In addition, you get access to a broad set of preconfigured operating systems, databases, and applications.
S3 – Simple Storage Service:
S3 is a simple file store that lets you upload files and folders, organize them, and make them accessible via HTTP or FTP protocols. You can create buckets and associate permissions with each bucket. You can also configure security policies to control who can access your data.
SQS – Simple Queue Service:
SQS is a message queue service that enables you to send messages between computers without having to worry about low bandwidth or high latency. Messages are stored until they are retrieved by the recipient. You can use SQS to build real-time applications.
Using AWS to Access Data:
AWS is a great way to access data without having to worry about the hardware or software. You don’t have to purchase any equipment or pay for hosting fees. Instead, you simply sign up for a plan and start using the service immediately.
You can use AWS to store files, create websites, run applications, and much more. In this article, we’ll show you how to get started with AWS. We’ll go over what AWS is, what plans are available, and how to choose the right plan for you.
Using AWS to Attack Applications:
AWS Security Groups:
AWS security groups allow you to control access to your instances based on the rules you define. You can use these rules to restrict access to specific IP addresses, ports, protocols, or even entire networks. You can create rules that apply to all EC2 instances in a VPC or just those running certain applications.
IAM Roles:
IAM roles allow you to assign permissions to users or groups without having to manage user accounts directly. Instead, you can grant them permissions using predefined policies. These policies determine what actions they can perform, who they can interact with, and what data they have access to.
CloudTrail:
CloudTrail records API calls made by your application and sends them to S3 where you can analyze them later. You can configure CloudTrail to record events related to your application’s usage of Amazon Web Services (AWS) APIs, including API requests, responses, errors, and retries.
Lambda Functions:
Lambda functions let you run code without provisioning or managing servers. You only pay for the compute time you consume – there is no charge when your function isn’t invoked, and you’re charged only for the duration of time that your function runs. If you need to stop execution of your function, simply return a 200 OK response.
KMS Encryption Keys:
KMS encryption keys provide an additional layer of protection for sensitive data stored in S3. When you encrypt data at rest in S3, you can use a unique master key to decrypt the data. You can then share this master key with others securely via IAM roles.
Application Load Balancers:
Application load balancers route incoming traffic to your application instances behind the scenes. You can set up rules that direct incoming traffic to different application instances based on their current state. As long as your application is responding correctly, you don’t incur any costs.
Elastic Beanstalk:
Elastic Beanstalk makes it easier to deploy and update your web-based applications. You can use Elastic Beanstalk to automatically install software updates, configure application settings, and monitor application performance. You can also easily scale your application up or down depending on how many visitors you receive.
Using AWS for Application Security Testing:
AWS provides a set of tools for application security testing (AST) that includes automated scanning, reporting, and remediation capabilities. These tools are designed to help developers identify potential vulnerabilities before they become problems.
AWS Security Scanner
The AWS Security Scanner is a tool that scans applications running on Amazon EC2 instances for vulnerabilities. It uses open-source vulnerability scanners, including OpenVAS, Nessus, and Metasploit, to scan for known vulnerabilities.
AWS Security Alerts
AWS Security Alerts is a service that sends email notifications whenever a security issue is detected. You can configure alerts based on specific criteria, such as IP address ranges, file types, or keywords. You can also specify whether to send emails only when a problem is discovered or when it’s fixed.
AWS CloudTrail
CloudTrail is a service that records API calls and logs associated with them. It stores information about each API call in log files, which you can access via S3. You can use these logs to determine what requests were made, who made them, and how they were processed.
AWS Config
Config is a service that collects configuration data from various AWS services and makes it accessible via a web console. Using Config, you can view and analyze configuration settings across different AWS services.
AWS CodeBuild
CodeBuild is a service that lets you build and test code without having to manage servers or install software locally. You upload your project to CodeBuild, and it builds and tests the code, then returns the results back to you.
AWS Lambda
Lambda is a service that lets developers write code in any language and run it on demand. You can create custom functions that respond to events, such as receiving messages over a network connection or processing user input. When triggered, Lambda executes the function and passes control to the next event.
AWS Mobile Hub
Mobile Hub is a service that enables mobile app developers to easily integrate their apps with AWS. Developers can use Mobile Hub to store data securely in the cloud, sync data between devices, and make APIs available to their users.
