Cloud pentesting refers to the authorized simulation of cyberattacks on cloud-based systems, applications, and infrastructure to identify vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them. Unlike traditional penetration testing, cloud pentesting must account for the shared responsibility model and the dynamic, scalable nature of cloud services.

The primary objectives of cloud pentesting include:

• Identifying misconfigurations and insecure defaults
• Testing access controls and privilege escalation paths
• Assessing exposure of sensitive data
• Evaluating the effectiveness of monitoring and logging

For a foundational overview, see the OWASP Cloud-Native Application Security Top 10.

Ethical hacking in the cloud requires strict adherence to legal and organizational boundaries. Unauthorized testing can lead to service disruptions, data breaches, and legal consequences. Always:

• Obtain explicit written authorization from the cloud account owner
• Understand the shared responsibility model for each provider (AWS, Azure)
• Comply with provider-specific pentesting policies (AWS Penetration Testing Policy, Azure Penetration Testing Guidance)
• Respect data privacy and regulatory requirements (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA)

For more on legal frameworks, refer to the ISO/IEC 27001 standard. For practical compliance during pentests, see Legal Password Testing: Stay Compliant in 2025.

Cloud pentesting differs from traditional pentesting in several key ways:

• Dynamic Infrastructure: Cloud resources are ephemeral and can scale automatically, requiring continuous discovery.
• Provider-Imposed Boundaries: Some components (e.g., underlying hypervisors) are off-limits.
• API-Driven: Many attacks target misconfigured APIs or automation scripts.
• Multi-Tenancy: Risks of cross-tenant data exposure must be assessed.

For a deeper dive, see ENISA's Cloud Penetration Testing Guide or review the Password Cracking Myths Busted: What Works Today for insights into current security testing realities.

A successful cloud pentesting engagement begins with a clearly defined scope. Consider:

• Which cloud environments (AWS, Azure, hybrid) are in-scope?
• Are you testing production, staging, or development accounts?
• What types of assets (VMs, storage, serverless, APIs) will be assessed?
• What are the business objectives (compliance, risk reduction, incident response readiness)?

A well-scoped assessment minimizes risk and ensures actionable results. For scoping templates, see SANS Sample Penetration Test Report.

Always secure written authorization before commencing any cloud pentesting activity. This should include:

• Details of the systems and services in-scope
• Permitted testing windows
• Contact information for incident escalation
• Explicit acknowledgment of provider policies

For guidance, review CrowdStrike's Penetration Testing Best Practices.

Choosing the right tools is vital for effective cloud pentesting. Consider both open-source and commercial solutions:

• AWS: Prowler, ScoutSuite, Pacu, CloudSploit
• Azure: Azucar, MicroBurst, Azure Security Center
• General: Nmap, Burp Suite, Metasploit, Nessus

To compare top tools, see Password Recovery Tools 2025: Top Picks Ranked.

Stay updated with the latest tools via Awesome Penetration Testing.

IAM misconfigurations are a leading cause of cloud breaches (CISA IAM Guidance). Checklist:

• Enumerate IAM users, groups, roles, and policies
• Identify excessive permissions and privilege escalation paths
• Check for use of root account and MFA enforcement
• Audit access keys and credential rotation policies
• Test for exposed credentials in public repositories

aws iam list-users
aws iam list-roles
aws iam get-account-summary

For further IAM best practices, review IAM Best Practices 2025: Control Access.

Improperly configured security groups and VPCs can expose cloud assets to the internet. Checklist:

• Enumerate VPCs, subnets, route tables, and NAT gateways
• Review security group and NACL rules for overly permissive access (e.g., 0.0.0.0/0)
• Scan for open ports and exposed services
• Test for lateral movement opportunities

aws ec2 describe-security-groups
nmap -Pn -p- <public-ip>

For best practices, see AWS VPC Security.

Cloud pentesting must include storage services, as misconfigured buckets are a common source of data leaks (BleepingComputer S3 Breach Report). Checklist:

• Enumerate S3 buckets and test for public access
• Check bucket policies and ACLs for misconfigurations
• Test for sensitive data exposure (PII, credentials, backups)
• Review EBS snapshot permissions
• Assess RDS database exposure and encryption settings

aws s3 ls
aws s3api list-buckets
aws s3api get-bucket-acl --bucket <bucket-name>

For more, see AWS S3 Security Best Practices.

Effective logging is vital for detecting and responding to attacks. Checklist:

• Verify CloudTrail is enabled in all regions and logs are immutable
• Check CloudWatch for suspicious activity and alerting rules
• Test log retention and access controls
• Assess integration with SIEM or incident response platforms

For guidance, see AWS CloudTrail Best Practices or refer to SIEM Fundamentals 2025: Quick Start for SIEM integration.

Serverless functions introduce unique attack surfaces. Checklist:

• Enumerate Lambda functions and their triggers
• Review IAM roles and permissions assigned to functions
• Test for code injection and insecure dependencies
• Assess environment variable exposure
• Check for logging and monitoring of serverless activity

For more, see OWASP Serverless Top 10.

Automated and manual vulnerability scanning is essential. Checklist:

• Run vulnerability scans on EC2 instances and containers
• Test for known CVEs and misconfigurations
• Attempt exploitation of identified weaknesses (with permission)
• Document all findings and potential impacts

For vulnerability intelligence, refer to CISA KEV Catalog.

Azure Active Directory (AAD) is central to identity management in Azure. Checklist:

• Enumerate users, groups, and roles
• Check for legacy authentication and weak password policies
• Test for privilege escalation paths (e.g., role assignments, app registrations)
• Assess MFA enforcement and conditional access policies
• Look for exposed credentials in code repositories

Get-AzureADUser
Get-AzureADDirectoryRole

For more, see Azure AD Security Operations.

Network Security Groups (NSGs) and firewalls control traffic flow. Checklist:

• Enumerate NSGs and associated rules
• Identify overly permissive rules (e.g., Any/Any, open RDP/SSH)
• Test for exposed management ports and services
• Assess segmentation between subnets and VNets

az network nsg list
az network nsg rule list --nsg-name <name>

For best practices, see Azure NSG Overview.

Azure storage misconfigurations can lead to data exposure. Checklist:

• Enumerate storage accounts and their access tiers
• Check for public blobs, files, or containers
• Review shared access signatures (SAS) for excessive permissions
• Test for encryption at rest and in transit
• Assess logging and monitoring of storage access

az storage account list
az storage container list --account-name <name>

For more, see Azure Storage Security Guide.

Comprehensive logging is crucial for threat detection. Checklist:

• Verify Azure Monitor and Log Analytics are enabled
• Check for alert rules on suspicious activities
• Review log retention and access controls
• Assess integration with SIEM or SOC workflows

For more, see Azure Monitor Overview.

Serverless and PaaS services in Azure require special attention. Checklist:

• Enumerate Azure Functions and App Services
• Review authentication and authorization settings
• Test for code injection and insecure dependencies
• Assess managed identity configurations
• Check for proper logging and monitoring

For more, see OWASP Top Ten and Azure App Service Security.

Automated and manual vulnerability assessments are essential. Checklist:

• Run vulnerability scans on VMs and containers
• Test for known vulnerabilities in PaaS and SaaS offerings
• Attempt exploitation of misconfigurations (with permission)
• Document all findings and their impact

For vulnerability advisories, see Microsoft Security Response Center.

Effective cloud pentesting culminates in clear, actionable reporting. Key elements:

• Executive summary for non-technical stakeholders
• Detailed technical findings with evidence (screenshots, logs, code snippets)
• Clear mapping to risk frameworks (e.g., MITRE ATT&CK, CWE)
• Remediation steps and references

For reporting templates, see OffSec Sample Penetration Test Report.

Prioritize findings based on:

• Potential business impact
• Likelihood of exploitation
• Regulatory and compliance requirements
• Ease of remediation

Use standardized risk matrices such as FIRST CVSS or consult a Risk Assessment Template 2025: Quick Start.

Provide clear, prioritized remediation steps:

• Immediate fixes for critical vulnerabilities
• Long-term improvements (e.g., IAM policy reviews, automated monitoring)
• References to official documentation and security advisories
• Guidance on retesting and validation

For remediation guidance, see CIS Controls.

Cloud platforms evolve rapidly. To maintain effective cloud pentesting:

• Subscribe to provider security bulletins (AWS, Azure)
• Engage with the security community (e.g., Unit 42, BleepingComputer)
• Participate in relevant trainings and certifications (ISACA CCSP, OffSec PEN-300)

Common pitfalls in cloud pentesting include:

• Testing without proper authorization
• Overlooking provider-imposed boundaries
• Ignoring ephemeral or auto-scaling resources
• Failing to document findings in real-time

For more, see Rapid7 Cloud Penetration Testing Fundamentals or explore Password Cracking Guide 2025: 5 Latest Techniques to keep up with modern attack methods.

Cloud pentesting should not be a one-time event. Implement:

• Continuous monitoring and automated security assessments
• Regular reviews of IAM, network, and storage configurations
• Integration of pentesting into DevSecOps pipelines

For continuous assessment tools, see CIS AWS Benchmark and CIS Azure Benchmark.

Cloud pentesting is indispensable for securing modern cloud environments like AWS and Azure. By following this comprehensive checklist, ethical hackers and security teams can systematically identify and remediate vulnerabilities, ensuring robust cloud security. As cloud technologies and threats continue to evolve, staying informed, adhering to best practices, and fostering a culture of continuous assessment are key to reducing risk and maintaining compliance.

• OWASP Cloud-Native Application Security Top 10
• ENISA Cloud Penetration Testing Guide
• AWS Shared Responsibility Model
• Azure Shared Responsibility Model
• CISA IAM Guidance
• MITRE ATT&CK Framework
• SANS Sample Penetration Test Report
• CIS Controls
• Rapid7 Cloud Penetration Testing Fundamentals
• ISACA CCSP Certification
• OffSec Sample Penetration Test Report
• CISA KEV Catalog
• FIRST CVSS
• Legal Password Testing: Stay Compliant in 2025
• Password Recovery Tools 2025: Top Picks Ranked
• IAM Best Practices 2025: Control Access
• Password Cracking Guide 2025: 5 Latest Techniques
• Risk Assessment Template 2025: Quick Start
• SIEM Fundamentals 2025: Quick Start
• Password Cracking Myths Busted: What Works Today