What is Cloud Pentesting?

In recent years, the cloud has become the go-to place to store, move, and run almost everything—data, applications, and infrastructures. Companies, from startups to corporate giants, have made the move because it’s flexible, scalable, and, above all, fast.

But beware—it's not all sunshine and rainbows. The massive migration to the cloud has also opened new doors to risks and threats that didn’t exist (or weren’t as obvious) in traditional environments. And this is where Cloud Pentesting, or Cloud Penetration Testing for the more technical crowd, comes into play.

Unlike a standard audit, pentesting doesn’t just stick to checklists. It goes one step further: it simulates real attacks to put your cloud infrastructure to the test just like a real hacker would. The goal is simple but powerful—find vulnerabilities before someone with bad intentions does.

Its value is huge, as it detects those gaps that often slip past automated scans and that, if not fixed in time, can cost much more than just a scare.

What Is a Cloud Penetration Test?

A cloud penetration test is a security assessment process that mimics the methods and techniques an attacker might use to compromise resources hosted in cloud environments. The goal is to identify, exploit, and document vulnerabilities, and then fix them to strengthen the security posture.

There are two main approaches:

1. Black Box: The tester has no prior information and must discover the infrastructure from scratch.

2. White Box: The tester is given credentials and internal access, allowing for a deeper evaluation.

In the cloud, pentesting has its own specific traits compared to on-premises environments:

1. The infrastructure is dynamic and scalable.

2. Third-party services are used (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, etc.).

3. The security perimeter is more diffuse, as resources can be spread across multiple regions and networks.

And this makes even more sense in the cloud world, where feeling secure doesn’t always mean you actually are. Having your infrastructure in the hands of a big-name provider like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud is no guarantee of absolute protection. In the end, a misconfiguration or a slip-up in security policies can leave a door wide open… and believe us, attackers know exactly how to find it.

Read more: Why Pentesting Is Key in a Cybersecurity Strategy

Main Types of Cloud Pentesting

Not all pentests are the same, and when it comes to the cloud, things get a bit more complex. The goal here is not just to “test for the sake of testing,” but to cover every possible front, because the cloud isn’t a single place—it’s a living ecosystem, full of services, layers, and configurations that can become either your strongest fortress… or your biggest weakness.

Among the most common types of cloud pentesting are:

1. Cloud Infrastructure Pentesting: Reviews virtual networks, firewalls, load balancers, and key configurations to prevent unauthorized access.

2. Cloud Web Application Pentesting: Analyzes apps and APIs deployed in the cloud to hunt for vulnerabilities such as SQL injections, XSS flaws, or authentication issues.

3. Cloud Storage Pentesting: Essential if you work with S3 buckets, Azure Blob, or Google Cloud Storage. A simple misconfiguration could expose your sensitive information to the entire world.

4. Identity and Access Management (IAM) Pentesting: Examines roles, permissions, and policies to ensure that only the right people have access to exactly what they need.

5. Configuration and Compliance Pentesting: Checks that your infrastructure meets best practices and applicable regulations.

Methodology and Phases of a Cloud Pentest

Although each provider or consultant may have their own “personal touch,” most cloud pentests follow a fairly similar path. The idea is to leave nothing to chance and cover the entire cycle—from preparation to final recommendations.

1. Planning and Scope: This is where it all begins. Define which systems, applications, and services will be assessed, and agree on the rules of engagement. Important: some cloud providers like AWS or Azure require you to notify them before testing, so it’s best to get those permissions in order to avoid issues.

2. Reconnaissance and Information Gathering: This is the “legal spying” phase. OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) is used to collect public data, identify exposed services, and map the terrain. The more information you have, the more precise the simulated attack will be.

3. Vulnerability Scanning and Analysis: Security tools are used here to detect known flaws. The goal is to identify the attack surface—that is, all the points where an intruder might try to break in.

4. Controlled Exploitation: This is the most exciting part—simulating real attacks to confirm whether the detected vulnerabilities are exploitable. All done in a controlled way, of course, to avoid breaking anything in production.

5. Privilege Escalation and Lateral Movement: If one system is compromised, the next step is to see whether it’s possible to jump to other resources within the cloud. This phase is key to understanding the real impact of a breach.

6. Reporting and Recommendations: Everything found is thoroughly documented, along with a clear action plan to close the gaps and strengthen security.

A cloud pentest isn’t “hacking for fun”—it’s a way to compare the security you think you have with the security you truly need to sleep soundly.

Read more: Phases of Pentesting: How to secure your systems step by step?

Benefits of Cloud Pentesting

1. Fast and accurate vulnerability detection: Pinpoint weaknesses in your cloud infrastructure with greater detail and in less time, at a much lower cost than with traditional tools.

2. Real risk assessment: Gain a clear view of the threats facing your cloud environment and prioritize fixes where they truly matter—high-impact vulnerabilities.

3. Regulatory compliance without headaches: Ensure your cloud environment meets the strictest standards and regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI-DSS, avoiding fines and legal issues.

4. Improved incident response: Test your security controls and fine-tune incident response procedures to react faster and more effectively if something happens.

5. Long-term cost savings: Detecting and fixing flaws before they become actual breaches is far cheaper (and less painful) than dealing with a security incident.

6. Third-party risk management (TPRM): Assess your cloud and security service providers, as well as the third-party integrations you use, to ensure they don’t open unwanted doors into your infrastructure.

Pentesting in AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud

Not all cloud providers are the same, which means each has its own weak points and security challenges.

1. AWS – The cloud giant. Its popularity is undeniable, but so is the attention it gets from attackers. Critical areas often include identity management (IAM), S3 bucket security, and VPC network policies.

2. Azure – The favorite for those already in the Microsoft ecosystem. Integration is deep and convenient, but beware of misconfigurations in Active Directory and accidentally exposed services.

3. Google Cloud (GCP) – Ideal for data and machine learning projects, but with recurring risks in IAM and storage that shouldn’t be overlooked.

The key is to adapt the pentesting methodology to each provider and avoid the mistake of thinking that what works in AWS will work the same in Azure or GCP. Each cloud has its own rules… and its own traps.

Challenges and Best Practices for Cloud Security

Pentesting in the cloud is not the same as doing it in a local environment. Here, several factors complicate the equation:

1. Restrictions and limitations imposed by each provider.

2. Infrastructure and services distributed around the world.

3. Integrations with third-party applications and services.

To keep your cloud in top shape, it’s best to follow some good practices:

1. Strict access policies – Give access only to those who truly need it, and review permissions regularly.

2. Regular configuration reviews – Clouds evolve, and what’s secure today might not be tomorrow.

3. Continuous pentesting – Don’t see it as a one-off event. Pentesting should be part of a constant security strategy.

In the cloud world, security isn’t a destination—it’s a habit.

Read more: What is retesting in penetration testing (pentests)?

How Can TecnetOne Help Protect Your Cloud Environment?

At TecnetOne, we take cloud pentesting to the next level by combining the power of automated scanning with the surgical precision of manual testing performed by certified ethical hackers.

Our team includes specialists accredited in international regulations and standards, capable of detecting everything from subtle configuration flaws to critical vulnerabilities that could jeopardize your security.

We work across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud (GCP) environments, and we don’t stop at the basics—we hunt for misconfigurations, exposed services, logical flaws, and privilege escalation paths that others might overlook.

We cover critical vectors such as cloud storage, virtual networks, and identities (IAM), evaluating each configuration against CIS benchmarks, reviewing access controls in line with the Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP), and validating everything against frameworks like the CSA Cloud Controls Matrix (CCM).

With TecnetOne, you’ll not only know where the gaps are, but also how to close them effectively—so your cloud environment can be as secure as it is powerful.