As organizations migrate their operations to the cloud, the security landscape has expanded far beyond traditional IT perimeters. Currently, threats could originate from the internet, internal systems, or cloud platforms. To sustain a good level of cybersecurity posture, businesses need to incorporate cloud penetration testing and network penetration testing into their security programs. The two tests are complimentary to each other, so that both your cloud and network systems beneath the infrastructure and network can be tested as resilient to contemporary cyber threats.
Cloud Penetration Testing
Cloud penetration testing is an attack on a cloud infrastructure, such as cloud services such as AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, to reveal the vulnerabilities. In contrast to on-premises testing, cloud testing does not violate the shared responsibility model of security, in which both the cloud provider and the client share the responsibility to ensure security.
A generic cloud penetration test defines:
• Failure to correctly configure security groups or IAM roles
• Resources that are publicly accessible (i.e. storage buckets or open APIs)
• Weak access controls or the absence of multi-factor authentication (MFA).
• In-transit and at-rest data encryption policies.
• Nonconformity with such standards as ISO 27017, SOC 2, and GDPR.
Cloud testing is an imitation of real-world attacks to reveal errors made in the identity management, infrastructure setup, and communication between services.
What Is Network Penetration Testing?
When cloud testing is used to test hosted environments, network penetration testing is applied to the infrastructure of the IT systems of your organization. It emulates external and internal attacks that aim at taking advantage of vulnerabilities in routers, firewalls, VPNs, and servers.
The process includes:
• External Testing: Simulation of external attackers scanning systems facing the internet
• Internal Testing: Measuring insider threats or post-breach lateral movement
• Privilege Escalation Checks: The ability to check how easily the user permissions can be violated
• Vulnerability Scanning and Exploitation: To determine vulnerability in systems
• Reporting: Giving practical advice to IT and compliance teams
Network penetration testing when used with cloud assessments will guarantee that no entry point will be unmonitored.
Why You Need Both Tests
The current infrastructures depend on the smooth connections between the on-premises infrastructures and cloud services. Insecure network may expose cloud assets, whereas cloud misconfigurations may be used as openings to internal systems. Carrying out cloud penetration testing and network penetration testing provides:
• Complete Threat Protection: Find vulnerabilities in hybrid environments
• Operational Continuity: lessen unavailability due to possible breaches
• Regulatory Compliance: Answer the call of the data protection authorities
• Better Visibility: Know your security position in all environments
Dual Testing Framework of Aardwolf Security.
Our certified testers at Aardwolf security use a combination of automation and manual skills to provide realistic penetration tests.
We have integrated testing that entails:
1. Scoping and Asset Identification – Describing the boundaries of cloud and network assets.
2. Enumeration and Vulnerability Discovery
3. Controlled Exploitation – Safe validation of vulnerabilities
4. Impact Assessment – Determining risk severity and exploit potential
5. Detailed Reporting – Providing technical and executive reports
We make sure that all tests adhere to the AWS, Azure, and GCP policies of penetration testing.
Advantages of Integrated Testing
• Enforced security presence within hybrid architecture
• Measurable results that allow rapid risk alleviation
• Ensured security against corporate and customer sensitive information
• Increased customer confidence and brand recognition
Conclusion
Boundaries between cloud and network infrastructure have been lost. Cloud penetration testing and network penetration testing can only help organizations to have the confidence of the real end-to-end protection. The expert-based testing methodology used by Aardwolf Security enables businesses to identify, rank and eliminate vulnerabilities before they are exploited in any of the environments, ensuring that your systems remain safe.
