cloud penetration testing steps

What does penetration testing mean? It is an evaluation method to evaluate the security of computer network system by simulating the attack method of malicious hackers, and is a mechanism to prove that the network defense works normally according to the expected plan. Test penetration proactively analyzes system weaknesses, technical flaws, or vulnerabilities from an attacker's likely location, and proactively protects against security vulnerabilities from this location.

cloud penetration testing is a test activity conducted to assess the security of systems, networks, and applications in a cloud environment. Its purpose is to identify possible vulnerabilities and weaknesses and help organizations provide recommendations for improvements to improve the security of their cloud environments.

The steps and procedures for cloud penetration testing are as follows:

Determine the scope and objectives of the test: Define the scope and objectives of the cloud environment to be tested. Identify the cloud service providers (CSPS) to test and the systems, networks, and applications to evaluate.
Information collection: Collects information about the cloud environment, including system architecture, cloud configuration, network topology, and related documents. This helps to understand the structure and components of a cloud environment.
Vulnerability scanning and scan result analysis: Use vulnerability scanning tools to scan the cloud environment to identify and document potential vulnerabilities. The scan results are analyzed to determine the risk level and scope of the vulnerability.
Exploit: Using appropriate tools and techniques, try to exploit known vulnerabilities to gain access to systems or sensitive information. This helps verify the authenticity of the vulnerability and the potential impact of the attack.
Access promotion: If you successfully access the system, try to promote permissions to obtain higher levels of access. This helps to assess how well the system is protected against unauthorized access.
Persistent access: Testers try to keep persistent access in the system to simulate potential malicious attackers. This helps assess the system's resistance to long-term attacks.
Data breach testing: Testers try to obtain sensitive data from the cloud environment, such as user credentials, sensitive files, etc. This helps to assess how secure data is in a cloud environment.
Cleaning and fixing: After completing the penetration test, all traces of the test should be cleaned promptly and all vulnerabilities and weaknesses found should be fixed. Ensure that the system is operating in a safe state.
Write a penetration test report: Summarize the results of the penetration test, the vulnerabilities found, and recommended fixes. The report should provide detailed analysis and explanation to support the organization to take appropriate action.
It is important to ensure that you are properly authorized, comply with laws, regulations and contractual terms before conducting cloud penetration testing. In addition, it is critical to continuously monitor and maintain the security of the cloud environment.