4. AWS Cloud Red Team Operations

Summary

This module from Cyber Warfare Labs walks through performing red team operations in AWS cloud environments. It outlines a structured attack lifecycle beginning with reconnaissance, followed by gaining initial access, creating backdoors, privilege escalation, lateral movement, and finally data exfiltration. The script demonstrates how an attacker can exploit compromised credentials to escalate privileges and achieve administrative access. It also highlights the importance of manual enumeration using AWS CLI and the potential use of automation tools in large-scale environments. The video aims to equip users with practical knowledge on cloud security testing techniques.

Takeaways

• 😀 Reconnaissance (Recon) involves gathering publicly available information about a target organization or cloud environment from sources like GitHub, LinkedIn, social media, and the dark web.
• 😀 Initial access can be achieved by exploiting leaked credentials, performing phishing activities, or leveraging other adversarial methods, depending on the red team's objectives.
• 😀 Once initial access is obtained, it's important to create a backdoor to maintain access even if the compromised credentials are changed or revoked.
• 😀 Privilege escalation enables attackers to gain more rights and privileges, facilitating further exploration of the network and identification of critical resources.
• 😀 Lateral movement involves accessing other critical systems and virtual private clouds (VPCs) to extract sensitive data or exfiltrate it from the network.
• 😀 The impact stage of red teaming may involve exfiltrating data, simulating ransomware, or other disruptive activities depending on the red team's goals.
• 😀 The attack lifecycle in red team operations is a repetitive process that continues until the objectives are achieved, including reconnaissance, gaining initial access, creating backdoors, escalating privileges, and exfiltrating data.
• 😀 In a scenario where a compromised credential with read-only access is used, it’s possible to enumerate and explore more potential attack vectors within the environment.
• 😀 Using AWS CLI to configure compromised credentials allows red team operators to access cloud resources, such as EC2 instances, and begin assessing their security posture.
• 😀 If an EC2 instance is vulnerable to SSRF (Server-Side Request Forgery) or RCE (Remote Code Execution), metadata, including IAM credentials, can be exfiltrated and used to escalate privileges.
• 😀 Red team operations often involve using automated tools for scalability, as manual enumeration can become impractical in larger environments with numerous users and roles. Tools like Packer can help automate red team activities.

Q & A

What is the primary objective of performing Red Team operations in a cloud environment?

The primary objective of performing Red Team operations in a cloud environment is to simulate a real-world attack, identify vulnerabilities, and test the effectiveness of security measures by exploiting weaknesses in the system.

What is the significance of reconnaissance in a Red Team operation?

Reconnaissance is the first step in a Red Team operation, where the attackers gather publicly available information from sources like GitHub, LinkedIn, or the dark web. This information helps in identifying potential attack vectors and understanding the target organization better.

How can attackers gain initial access to a target cloud environment?

Attackers can gain initial access to a cloud environment by exploiting leaked credentials found on platforms like GitHub, the dark web, or through phishing attacks. They may also use advanced adversary tactics to compromise accounts.

Why is creating a backdoor important after gaining initial access?

Creating a backdoor is crucial because it allows the attacker to maintain access to the compromised environment even if the initial access point (like a credential or password) is removed or changed.

What is privilege escalation, and why is it important in a Red Team operation?

Privilege escalation is the process of gaining higher-level access or rights within a system. In a Red Team operation, it is important because it enables the attacker to perform more extensive actions, such as enumerating resources and accessing critical systems.

What role does lateral movement play in a Red Team operation?

Lateral movement involves spreading across different systems or environments within the target organization. Attackers use it to access more critical systems and sensitive data after escalating their privileges.

What is the purpose of data exfiltration in a Red Team operation?

Data exfiltration is a critical objective where the attacker extracts sensitive information from the compromised environment. This step demonstrates the potential impact of a security breach and helps organizations identify areas of vulnerability.

How can an attacker use SSRF or RCE to exploit an AWS instance's metadata?

If an AWS instance is vulnerable to SSRF (Server Side Request Forgery) or RCE (Remote Code Execution), an attacker can exploit the metadata endpoint by sending requests internally to retrieve sensitive data like IAM role credentials and temporary tokens.

What is the significance of IAM roles and policies in an AWS environment for Red Team operations?

IAM roles and policies define access permissions in an AWS environment. By understanding the attached policies, Red Team operators can exploit misconfigurations or weak policies to escalate their privileges or gain full administrative access.

Why is using the AWS CLI advantageous for performing Red Team operations?

The AWS CLI is beneficial because it is a common tool used by administrators, making it less likely to be detected by security systems. It allows for efficient execution of commands without triggering alerts, which is crucial during Red Team operations.