The Cloud Attack Surface: Beyond Traditional Perimeters
Securing the cloud is not about firewalls and servers in the traditional sense. It’s about managing a complex ecosystem of interconnected services, permissions, and configurations where a single flaw can compromise the entire environment.
Identity & Access Management (IAM) Misconfigurations: Overly permissive user roles and policies are the #1 cause of cloud breaches. We test for pathways that could allow an attacker to escalate privileges and gain administrative access.
Publicly Exposed Storage: Misconfigured storage services (like AWS S3 buckets or Azure Blob Storage) can publicly expose vast amounts of sensitive company and customer data to the entire internet.
Insecure Container & Serverless Architectures: The use of modern technologies like Docker, Kubernetes (EKS, AKS, GKE), and Lambda functions introduces new, complex attack surfaces that require specialised testing.
Lack of Network Segregation: Poorly configured Virtual Private Clouds (VPCs) and security groups can allow an attacker who compromises a low-value system to move laterally and access critical databases and applications.
Our Methodology: A Deep Dive into Your Cloud Fabric
Our cloud security methodology is a systematic process designed to assess the unique components of your cloud environment, whether it's on AWS, Azure, or GCP.
Reconnaissance & Discovery We begin by mapping your organisation's cloud footprint. This involves identifying all accounts, users, roles, storage assets, virtual machines, and other services to understand the full scope of the attack surface.
Configuration & Vulnerability Analysis We perform a deep-dive review of your cloud configuration. This is a manual, expert-led process that goes far beyond automated checks. We analyse IAM policies, network security group rules, storage permissions, and the configuration of key services.
Privilege Escalation & Lateral Movement Testing The core of the assessment involves simulating an attacker who has gained an initial foothold (e.g., via a compromised user credential). We then attempt to escalate privileges and move laterally through your environment, testing the real-world effectiveness of your security controls.
Controlled Exploitation & Business Impact Where permitted, we will demonstrate the impact of a critical misconfiguration. This could involve accessing a sensitive S3 bucket or proving that a low-privileged user can gain administrative control, providing clear evidence of the business risk.