Cyber Hacker Academy
Lesson 7 of 10

Cloud Penetration Testing

Cloud penetration testing requires a different methodology than traditional network pentesting. This lesson covers the legal and scoping considerations unique to cloud environments, the tools and techniques used to enumerate and exploit cloud misconfigurations, and how to structure a cloud pentest engagement from reconnaissance through reporting.

Learning Objectives — Deep Dive

Each objective below is broken down into plain English so you know exactly what you are learning, why it matters, and what you will be able to do when you are done. Mark each one complete as you work through the lesson.

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In plain English

This is asking you to build a clear mental model of the concept — not just memorize a definition, but genuinely understand what it means, why it exists, and how it connects to everything else you are learning. When you can explain "the legal and procedural requirements for cloud penetration testing" in your own words to someone who has never heard of it, you have truly learned it.

Why this matters

Understanding the legal side of hacking is the single most important thing you can learn. Without this, even well-intentioned security work can land you in serious legal trouble. Employers and clients need to trust that you know exactly where the line is.

Real-world analogy

Think of it like learning to drive. You do not need to understand how the engine works to drive safely, but knowing the basics helps you diagnose problems and avoid mistakes that could cause accidents. The same principle applies here — foundational knowledge prevents costly errors.

What you will be able to do

Draft a proper scope document for a security engagement, explain to a client exactly what authorization means and why it matters, and confidently identify whether a specific action is legally permissible before taking it.

Beginner tip

Do not try to memorize everything at once. Read through the material once to get the big picture, then go back and work through the lab. The hands-on practice is what makes the concepts stick — passive reading alone will not get you there.

Cloud Penetration Testing · Objective 1 of 4

VIDEO
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1

Enumerate IAM permissions

Use enumerate-iam or Pacu to determine what permissions your test credentials have.

aws iam get-user && aws iam list-attached-user-policies --user-name $(aws iam get-user --query "User.UserName" --output text)
2

Check for privilege escalation paths

Use Pacu or manual analysis to identify IAM privilege escalation opportunities.

python3 pacu.py
3

Enumerate S3 buckets

List accessible S3 buckets and check for public read/write access.

aws s3 ls && aws s3api list-buckets --query "Buckets[*].Name"
4

Test for SSRF to metadata service

From a web application, attempt to reach the EC2 metadata service to check for SSRF vulnerability.

curl http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/iam/security-credentials/
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