[DefCon32] AWS CloudQuarry: Digging for Secrets in Public AMIs
Eduard Agavriloae and Matei Josephs, security researchers from KPMG Romania and Syncubes, present a chilling exploration of vulnerabilities in public Amazon Machine Images (AMIs). Their project, scanning 3.1 million AMIs, uncovered exposed AWS access credentials, posing risks of account takeovers. Eduard and Matei share their methodologies and advocate for robust cloud security practices to mitigate these threats.
Uncovering Secrets in Public AMIs
Eduard opens by detailing their CloudQuarry project, which scanned millions of public AMIs using tools like ScoutSuite. They discovered critical findings, such as exposed access keys, that could enable attackers to compromise AWS accounts. Supported by KPMG Romania, Eduard and Matei’s research highlights the pervasive issue of misconfigured cloud resources, a problem they believe will persist due to human error.
Methodologies and Tools
Matei explains their approach, leveraging automated tools to identify public AMIs and extract sensitive data. Their analysis revealed credentials embedded in AMIs, often overlooked by organizations. By responsibly disclosing findings to affected parties, Eduard and Matei avoided exploiting these keys, demonstrating ethical restraint while highlighting the potential for malicious actors to cause widespread damage.
Risks of Account Takeover
The duo delves into the consequences of exposed credentials, which could lead to unauthorized access, data breaches, or ransomware attacks. Their findings, shared with companies expecting only T-shirts in return, underscore the ease of exploiting public AMIs. Eduard emphasizes the adrenaline rush of discovering such vulnerabilities, reflecting the stakes in cloud security.
Strengthening Cloud Security
Concluding, Matei advocates for enhanced configuration reviews and automated monitoring to prevent AMI exposures. Their collaborative approach, inviting community feedback, reinforces the importance of collective vigilance in securing cloud environments. By sharing their tools and lessons, Eduard and Matei empower organizations to fortify their AWS deployments against emerging threats.