What is Cloud Platform Penetration Testing?
Cloud Platform Penetration Testing (such as for AWS, Azure, GCP, and Microsoft 365) is the process of detecting and exploiting security vulnerabilities in cloud infrastructure by simulating a controlled cyber attack. A range of custom cloud security assessments helps organisations overcome these challenges by uncovering and addressing vulnerabilities that could leave critical assets exposed.
Simulating realistic attack scenarios across cloud tenants, serverless components, containerised environments, and cloud APIs allows organisations to evaluate resilience, maintain compliance with data protection mandates, and protect intellectual property.
Key Vulnerabilities Identified
Assessments systematically probe multi-cloud architectures to uncover complex risk vectors unique to cloud deployments. Core focus areas include.
Identity and Access Management Misconfigurations
Identifying overly permissive roles, missing multi-factor authentication policies, exposed API keys, and excessive privilege assignments that allow unauthorised privilege escalation.
Exposed Cloud Storage Services
Detecting publicly accessible Amazon S3 buckets, Azure Blob Storage containers, or GCP buckets that contain confidential corporate data, database backups, or source code.
Insecure Cloud Network Configurations
Uncovering misconfigured Security Groups, open management ports, insecure Network Security Groups, and unsegmented cloud Virtual Private Clouds.
Serverless and Container Security Weaknesses
Spotting vulnerabilities in Kubernetes deployments, Docker containers, AWS Lambda, or Azure Functions that could allow container escape or remote code execution.
Tenant and SaaS Misconfigurations
Evaluating Microsoft 365 and Entra ID security settings for weak conditional access rules, dangerous consent permissions, and inadequate logging capabilities.
A CREST-Accredited Methodology
Because cloud platforms feature distinct architectural frameworks, security testing is tailored precisely to each cloud environment’s footprint. Testing combines automated configuration audits with extensive manual exploitation techniques, fully aligning with provider-specific testing frameworks (such as AWS and Azure penetration testing rules of engagement) and the NCSC Cloud Security Principles.
As a CREST-accredited service provider, Cyber Security Specialists guarantees that testing is delivered by highly skilled professionals holding recognised technical certifications such as OSCP and CREST. All testing is conducted in accordance with industry-recognised standards, including CREST, OWASP, and PCI-DSS requirements.
Comprehensive Reporting and Remediation
Following the assessment, a detailed, actionable report is delivered to internal technical teams. This documentation establishes whether critical cloud assets can be compromised, classifies the risks to the overall cybersecurity posture, prioritises vulnerabilities to address, and provides clear technical recommendations to mitigate identified risks. Cloud engineers and SecOps teams receive clear guidance to remediate cloud misconfigurations efficiently.
Secure Cloud Infrastructure Today
Penetration testing helps organisations identify and fix vulnerabilities before attackers exploit them, reducing risk and protecting cloud-hosted assets.
To discuss your Cloud Platform Penetration Testing requirements, contact a member of the team by emailing info@cybersecurityspecialists.co.uk or calling 0161 706 0244.
