Building and Automating Penetration Testing Labs in the Cloud: Set up cost-effective hacking environments for learning cloud security on AWS, Azure, and GCP

Key Features

• Explore strategies for managing the complexity, cost, and security of running labs in the cloud
• Unlock the power of infrastructure as code and generative AI when building complex lab environments
• Learn how to build pentesting labs that mimic modern environments on AWS, Azure, and GCP
• Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBook

Book Description

The significant increase in the number of cloud-related threats and issues has led to a surge in the demand for cloud security professionals. This book will help you set up vulnerable-by-design environments in the cloud to minimize the risks involved while learning all about cloud penetration testing and ethical hacking.

This step-by-step guide begins by helping you design and build penetration testing labs that mimic modern cloud environments running on AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Next, you’ll find out how to use infrastructure as code (IaC) solutions to manage a variety of lab environments in the cloud. As you advance, you’ll discover how generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, can be leveraged to accelerate the preparation of IaC templates and configurations. You’ll also learn how to validate vulnerabilities by exploiting misconfigurations and vulnerabilities using various penetration testing tools and techniques. Finally, you’ll explore several practical strategies for managing the complexity, cost, and risks involved when dealing with penetration testing lab environments in the cloud.

By the end of this penetration testing book, you’ll be able to design and build cost-effective vulnerable cloud lab environments where you can experiment and practice different types of attacks and penetration testing techniques.

What you will learn

• Build vulnerable-by-design labs that mimic modern cloud environments
• Find out how to manage the risks associated with cloud lab environments
• Use infrastructure as code to automate lab infrastructure deployments
• Validate vulnerabilities present in penetration testing labs
• Find out how to manage the costs of running labs on AWS, Azure, and GCP
• Set up IAM privilege escalation labs for advanced penetration testing
• Use generative AI tools to generate infrastructure as code templates
• Import the Kali Linux Generic Cloud Image to the cloud with ease

Who this book is for

This book is for security engineers, cloud engineers, and aspiring security professionals who want to learn more about penetration testing and cloud security. Other tech professionals working on advancing their career in cloud security who want to learn how to manage the complexity, costs, and risks associated with building and managing hacking lab environments in the cloud will find this book useful.

Table of Contents

1. Getting Started with Penetration Testing Labs in the Cloud
2. Preparing Our First Vulnerable Cloud Lab Environment
3. Succeeding with Infrastructure as Code Tools and Strategies
4. Setting Up Isolated Penetration Testing Lab Environments on GCP
5. Setting Up Isolated Penetration Testing Lab Environments on Azure
6. Setting Up Isolated Penetration Testing Lab Environments on AWS
7. Setting Up an IAM Privilege Escalation Lab
8. Designing and Building a Vulnerable Active Directory Lab
9. Recommended Strategies and Best Practices

Joshua Arvin Lat is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of NuWorks Interactive Labs, Inc. He previously served as the CTO for three Australian-owned companies and as director of software development and engineering for multiple e-commerce start-ups in the past. Years ago, he and his team won first place in a global cybersecurity competition with their published research paper. He is also an AWS Machine Learning Hero and has shared his knowledge at several international conferences, discussing practical strategies on machine learning, engineering, security, and management.