Bridging Cloud Architecture Gaps: A Deep Dive into AWS and Azure Security Assessment

In the realm of cloud computing, AWS and Azure stand as titans, powering the digital landscapes of countless organizations. But with great power comes great responsibility, especially when it comes to securing cloud architectures. These cloud environments are notoriously messy because they’re built for application outcomes as the chief priority, not security. Moreover, they’re often built by application engineers learning to stitch together infrastructure “as they go” to meet the application demands for scale.

Building secure cloud infrastructures is a non-trivial task, requiring specialized knowledge and expertise. This blog dives into the specific value of performing technical cloud security assessments, shining a spotlight on AWS and Azure, showing a few critical gaps in permissions and security that are often the most commonly abused in attack scenarios.?

The Cloud Architecture Puzzle

Cloud architectures are a complex puzzle, with a phenomenal number of interconnected pieces, each with its own nuances for secure operations. AWS and Azure offer robust tools and services, but misconfigurations and lax permissions definitely leave chinks in the armor that often are hidden, unknown, or so overwhelming that it's impossible to know where to begin.?

A technical cloud security assessment is the key to identifying and rectifying these critical gaps, and should enable task priority with the true context of a cloud operating environment.

AWS: The Permissions Predicament

Overly Permissive Policies

A common pitfall is the assignment of overly permissive policies to users, roles, keys, and other cloud entities. Identity permissions should be a top priority focus area, and robust technical assessments reveal detailed insights into where identities have more permissions than necessary, opening the door to potential misuse, and increased attack surface exposure.?

Unrestricted S3 Access

?Misconfigured Amazon S3 buckets are a prevalent issue. A security assessment focuses on validating that S3 buckets are not inadvertently left open to the public, safeguarding sensitive data from unauthorized access. Further analysis should evaluate bucket policies for best practices related to permissions, integrity, and audit logging.

Inadequate Logging and Monitoring

?Insufficient CloudTrail and CloudWatch logging configurations can hamper the ability to detect and respond to security incidents. Incomplete log designs, including enhanced endpoint monitoring along with event correlation. A robust assessment ensures that logging is configured to capture critical events, and the overall design meets intended compliance and security objectives.

Unsecured EC2 Instances

?Insecurely configured EC2 instances are a prime target for attackers. Assessments often uncover instances with unnecessary open ports, outdated software, or weak security group configurations. Worse, and even more commonly, roles associated with EC2 hosts are grossly over permissive, leading to truly unnecessary exposure to lateral movement and deep penetration with host compromise.

Azure: Permissions Puzzles Unraveled

Overenthusiastic Role Assignments

?Azure's RBAC (Role-Based Access Control) is powerful but prone to misconfigurations. Assessments frequently unveil scenarios where users have roles with more privileges than required, potentially leading to unauthorized access. Advanced technical assessments can even identify anomalous user activity, based on historical and current data. This awareness is crucial to understanding baselines, and rapidly responding to potential identity threats.

Blob Storage Pitfalls

?Azure Blob Storage misconfigurations, just like AWS S3 issues, are a common concern. Assessments focus on ensuring that storage containers are properly secured, preventing unauthorized data exposure.

Insecure Virtual Network Configurations

?Azure Virtual Networks are fundamental to network security. Assessments highlight insecure network configurations, such as overly permissive NSG (Network Security Group) rules or inadequately secured VPN gateways.

Lack of Key Vault Safeguards

?Azure Key Vault is a crucial component for secure key management. Security assessments validate that access controls are correctly configured, preventing unauthorized access to sensitive cryptographic keys. Additional areas identified in technical assessments are the usage of keys, such as exposed secrets in code, or within the operating environment.

Closing the Gaps: A Call to Action

Performing a technical cloud security assessment in AWS and Azure is not a mere formality; it is a strategic imperative. Organizations must scrutinize and continuously fortify their cloud architectures against potential threats. By understanding permissions pitfalls and critical gaps specific to each cloud provider, businesses can bolster their defenses, ensuring a secure and resilient cloud environment.

In the ever-changing landscape of cloud security, the assessment is not a one-time endeavor; it's an ongoing commitment to stay ahead of emerging threats and evolving best practices. It’s the best way to validate your assumptions, and stay informed of the progress on your exposure points. Take the reins of your cloud security today, unravel the permission puzzles, and fortify the foundations of your AWS and Azure architectures with a context-driven approach.