Do you host your website or app in the cloud? Or maybe you're using AWS to build your next AI app?
Cloud platforms like AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure make scaling easy. But here’s the catch: your cloud app is only as secure as its weakest configuration.
The Risk: Misconfigured Storage Buckets
One common issue is misconfigured storage buckets — like AWS S3 or Google Cloud Storage. An S3 bucket is basically cloud storage for files like images, backups, or your AI training data. But if it isn't configured properly, it can expose sensitive data to anyone, even if it’s not linked anywhere on your site.
Demonstration
In this video, I’ll show you how attackers can find and access a misconfigured S3 bucket and explain why it's crucial to regularly audit and lock down your cloud configuration.
⚠️ This video is for educational purposes only and everything shown is done in a controlled lab environment.
We use a vulnerable site hosted on AWS called AWS Goat as our test target.
Steps in the demo:
- Copy the URL of the site and scan it using OWASP ZAP.
- ZAP finds all resources used by the site, including an S3 bucket URL.
- The bucket doesn't allow listing contents, but we notice the bucket name includes the word
production. - Using a wordlist, we generate similar bucket names and test them with S3 Scanner.
- We find one open bucket, access it, and discover a file in a folder named
.ssh. - The config file lists IPs and private SSH key access.
- We scan these IPs using Nmap and find one publicly open machine.
- We use the downloaded private key to SSH into the machine. Success — but this should not happen!
Key Takeaways
- Misconfigured S3 buckets can lead to serious data leaks or server access.
- There are public sites that index open S3 buckets — anyone can find them!
- It’s not just buckets. Misconfigured IAM roles, open ports, exposed databases — all are vulnerabilities.
What You Should Do
- Regularly audit your cloud infrastructure.
- Follow the principle of least privilege.
- Get a cloud security expert to review your setup.
If this video helped you, give it a like, share it, or leave a comment.
Thanks for watching — and remember to secure your cloud! ☁️🔐
FAQ
Misconfigured storage buckets are cloud storage areas (e.g., Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage) whose security settings are incorrectly configured. As a result, stored data can be viewed, downloaded, or modified by unauthorized persons.
Simply explained:
- Access permissions are too open, e.g., public access without control
- Sensitive data is unencrypted or access is not restricted
- This significantly increases the risk of data leaks
Such misconfigurations are a common security vulnerability in the cloud and can be exploited by attackers to steal or manipulate important data.
How attackers can find and exploit misconfigured S3 buckets:
-
Scanning and crawling:
Attackers use automated tools and search engines (e.g., Shodan, public dataset scans) to find publicly accessible or poorly secured S3 buckets. -
Brute-force and URL guessing:
By trying typical bucket names or URLs, they may discover unprotected buckets. -
Missing access controls:
If bucket policies or ACLs (Access Control Lists) are not set properly, attackers can access stored data, download, modify, or delete it. -
Abuse for malware hosting:
Publicly accessible buckets can be used to store and distribute malware.
Risks from misconfigured S3 buckets:
- Data loss or theft:
Confidential or personal data may be publicly accessible without protection. - Reputational damage:
Data leaks can destroy the trust of customers and partners. - Financial damage:
Data protection violations may lead to fines (e.g., GDPR penalties) and high follow-up costs. - Abuse of resources:
Attackers can exploit storage space and bandwidth, causing costly overuse. - Compliance violations:
Lack of security can lead to breaches of legal requirements.
An S3 bucket is a storage container in Amazon Web Services (AWS) Simple Storage Service (S3), used for storing and managing large amounts of data objects such as files, images, or videos.
Simply explained:
- A bucket is a logical storage unit
- Each bucket has a unique name
- Supports access control, versioning, and lifecycle management
- Commonly used for backups, website hosting, data analysis, and other applications
OWASP ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy) is a free, open-source security testing tool developed by the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP). It is mainly used to automatically scan web applications for security vulnerabilities.
Main features:
- Automated scanning and detection of common vulnerabilities (e.g., SQL injection, cross-site scripting)
- Support for manual testing for detailed analysis by security experts
- Proxy function to intercept and modify HTTP/HTTPS traffic between browser and server
- Suitable for developers and security testers to improve the security of web applications
The .ssh folder is used to store SSH (Secure Shell) related configurations and keys. It is mainly used for secure remote login and data transfer.
Specifically, it contains:
- Private keys (e.g., id_rsa) and public keys (id_rsa.pub) for authentication
- The known_hosts file, which stores trusted server fingerprints
- The config file to define connection details for various servers
- It ensures secure remote connections and prevents sending passwords in plain text
Nmap (Network Mapper) is an open-source network scanner and security tool mainly used to discover devices and services on a network and detect potential security vulnerabilities.
Main features:
- Scanning hosts and ports, detecting open ports and running services
- Detection of operating system types and versions
- Mapping network topology
- Support for scripting extensions for vulnerability analysis and automation
Nmap is commonly used by network administrators and security professionals for security assessments and penetration testing.
The Principle of Least Privilege states that users, programs, or systems should be granted only those access rights that are absolutely necessary to perform their tasks. This minimizes the risk of misuse or abuse of privileges.
Simply explained:
- Only assign the minimum required access rights
- Limit the scope of actions to prevent accidental or malicious activities
- Increase overall system security and reduce potential damage