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Enterprise cybersecurity, cloud security and compliance

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Cloud Infrastructure Security Assessment

Find out how an attacker could move through your cloud.

ThreatGaurd tests your cloud workloads, identities and architecture the way a real attacker would, from exposed services to stolen credentials and privilege escalation, and shows you how to close each path to your data.

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Why it matters

In the cloud, small gaps connect into big breaches.

An exposed service, a leaked access key or an over-privileged role may each look minor on their own. Together, they can give an attacker a direct path from the internet to your most sensitive data.

A cloud infrastructure security assessment goes beyond configuration checks. We actively test your environment and review its architecture, to show which paths are really exploitable and how to break them.

  • Workloads exposed to the internet

    Virtual machines, containers and APIs are published without the protection teams assume is in place.

  • Credentials in the wrong places

    Access keys in code, images and variables give attackers a ready-made way in.

  • Permissions that allow escalation

    Roles that can grant themselves more access turn a small foothold into full control.

Cloud attack path

How a small cloud weakness becomes a data breach.

Real cloud incidents often follow a chain like this. We test each link, so you can break the chain as early as possible.

  1. Step 1: Exposed entry point

    A public workload, API or management service is reachable from the internet.

    Where we break the chain

    External attack surface testing

  2. Step 2: Stolen credentials

    A flaw or leaked secret gives the attacker cloud access keys or tokens.

    Where we break the chain

    Secrets and metadata service protection

  3. Step 3: Privilege escalation

    Over-permissive roles let the attacker grant themselves more access.

    Where we break the chain

    IAM privilege escalation testing

  4. Step 4: Data access

    Storage, databases and backups are read or copied out of the environment.

    Where we break the chain

    Data store access and exfiltration paths

Testing scope

Every layer of your cloud, tested from an attacker’s point of view.

Choose the areas that matter to you. Every engagement is scoped to your accounts, workloads and release plans.

Cloud architecture security review

A review of how your cloud environment is designed, from account structure to the flow of sensitive data.

What we check

  • Account, network and environment separation
  • Trust between services, accounts and on-premises systems
  • Data flows and where sensitive data lives
  • Threat modelling of critical workloads
Multi-Cloud Security
Common findings in this area Sample
  • Production account Trusted by every development account High
  • Data pipeline Customer data copied to a test environment High
  • Shared services One network for all environments Medium

External cloud penetration testing

Everything in your cloud that is reachable from the internet, tested from an attacker’s point of view.

What we check

  • Public workloads, load balancers and APIs
  • Exposed management and database services
  • Storage and content endpoints
  • Forgotten and unmanaged cloud assets
Vulnerability Assessment & Penetration Testing
Common findings in this area Sample
  • Old instance Unpatched service on a public IP Critical
  • Admin portal Reachable from the internet without VPN High
  • Storage endpoint Directory listing enabled Medium

Workload security testing

Virtual machines, containers, Kubernetes and serverless functions that run your applications.

What we check

  • Instance metadata service abuse
  • Secrets in code, images and environment variables
  • Container escape and cluster access
  • Function permissions and event triggers
Kubernetes, Containers & DevSecOps Security
Common findings in this area Sample
  • Web server Metadata service exposes cloud credentials Critical
  • Container image Access key stored in an image layer High
  • Function Can write to every storage bucket High

Cloud identity and privilege escalation testing

Testing whether a limited foothold can be turned into administrator access.

What we check

  • Paths from low-privilege roles to administrator
  • Role assumption and cross-account trust
  • Abuse of service accounts and managed identities
  • Long-lived and unused access keys
IAM Security
Common findings in this area Sample
  • Developer role Can attach an administrator policy to itself Critical
  • Deployment identity Can assume production roles High
  • Managed identity Owner rights on the subscription High

Data store security testing

Storage, databases, backups and snapshots, and every route an attacker could use to reach them.

What we check

  • Access to storage and databases from compromised roles
  • Snapshot and backup sharing
  • Encryption and key access policies
  • Data exfiltration paths and controls
Cloud Security Posture Assessment
Common findings in this area Sample
  • Key policy Allows decryption from all accounts Critical
  • Backup vault Readable by application roles High
  • Database Accepts connections from any network High

Detection and response testing

Whether your monitoring would notice the attack, and how quickly your team could respond.

What we check

  • Alerts for credential misuse and escalation
  • Logging of data access and changes
  • Coverage of security tools across accounts
  • Readiness to respond to cloud incidents
Discuss detection testing
Common findings in this area Sample
  • Privilege escalation No alert raised High
  • Bulk data download Not logged High
  • New region in use Not monitored Medium

Methodology

Choose the depth that answers your question.

Testing always follows your cloud provider’s penetration testing policy, and the approach is agreed with you during scoping.

  • Architecture review

    A design-level review of accounts, networks, identities and data flows, using diagrams and workshops.

    Best for

    New platforms, major changes and early design stages.

  • Most common

    Cloud penetration testing

    External and authenticated testing of workloads, identities and data stores to prove what is exploitable.

    Best for

    Most organisations. Shows real attack paths, not just settings.

  • Assumed-breach testing

    We start from a compromised workload or credential and test how far an attacker could go.

    Best for

    Mature environments and incident readiness.

Standards we follow

  • MITRE ATT&CK for Cloud
  • NIST SP 800-115
  • CIS Foundations Benchmarks
  • CSA Cloud Controls Matrix
  • Provider penetration testing policies
  • CVSS scoring

How it works

From scoping call to verified fix, in five steps.

Talk to a consultant

  1. 01

    Scope and agree

    We agree accounts, workloads, testing windows and rules of engagement, in line with your provider’s testing policy. An NDA is signed before any access.

  2. 02

    Map the environment

    We review the architecture and map exposed services, identities and data stores.

  3. 03

    Test attack paths

    Our testers attempt to gain access, escalate privileges and reach data, using controlled techniques that avoid disruption.

  4. 04

    Report and walk through

    You receive the reports, followed by a walkthrough with your cloud, security and leadership teams.

  5. 05

    Retest and close

    Once fixes are made, we retest to confirm the attack paths are closed.

Deliverables

Findings your cloud team can fix, and leaders can understand.

  1. Executive summary A short overview for leadership: overall risk, key issues and what to do next.
  2. Technical report Every finding with CVSS severity, evidence, affected resources and provider-specific remediation.
  3. Cloud attack path map How an attacker could move from an entry point to your data, and where to break the chain.
  4. Architecture recommendations Design improvements for account structure, network separation and identity trust.
  5. Retest report Confirms which issues are fixed, for your records and your auditors.
Report summary Sample report

Overall risk

High → Low after retest

Critical
2
High
5
Medium
8
Low
6

Open findings

21before retest,3after retest

Fix first

Web server metadata service exposes cloud credentials

Owner: Cloud platform team · 2 days

Related services

More ways to secure your cloud.

All cloud security services

FAQ

Questions leaders ask about cloud infrastructure testing

Can’t find your answer? Our team is happy to help.

Contact our experts
What is a cloud infrastructure security assessment?

An active security test of your cloud environment, combined with a review of its architecture. We look for ways an attacker could get in, escalate privileges and reach your data, and show how to close each path.

How is this different from a cloud security posture assessment?

A posture assessment reviews configuration against benchmarks using read-only access. This assessment actively tests what an attacker could do with those weaknesses, and reviews the design of your environment. Many organisations do both: posture first, then testing.

Do we need permission from AWS, Azure or Google Cloud?

For most common services, AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud do not require prior approval to test your own resources, but each has rules that must be followed. We plan every test in line with your provider’s current policy.

Will testing affect our production environment?

Testing is planned to avoid disruption. We agree windows and rules of engagement, avoid denial-of-service and destructive actions, and stop and inform you immediately if anything unexpected happens. Higher-risk tests can be run in a staging environment.

What do you need from us to get started?

The accounts, subscriptions or projects in scope, architecture diagrams if available, test credentials for authenticated testing, and a technical contact. We share a scope document and rules of engagement for sign-off before testing begins.

How long does a cloud infrastructure assessment take?

Most engagements take 1 to 3 weeks, depending on the number of accounts and workloads in scope and the approach chosen.

How is the cost calculated?

Cost depends on the number of accounts, workloads and cloud providers, and the testing approach. After the scoping call you receive a fixed-scope proposal, so the cost is agreed before testing starts.

Will your report support ISO 27001, SOC 2 or PCI DSS?

Our reports are structured to support ISO 27001, SOC 2 and PCI DSS evidence, with an executive summary, detailed findings and retest results. The final audit opinion always rests with your auditor, so if a specific format or accreditation is required, tell us during scoping and we will confirm what we can provide.

Get started

Find out what an attacker could reach in your cloud.

Tell us which clouds and workloads you want tested. We will come back with a clear scope and proposal, with no obligation.

Request Assessment Ask a question

What happens next

  1. A short scoping callWe learn your goals, environment and timelines.
  2. A fixed-scope proposalClear scope, approach, timeline and cost, in writing.
  3. Testing on your scheduleTesting starts on the agreed date, with regular updates.