Did you know that over 80% of cyber attacks or data breach incidents involve cloud data?
Yes, cloud security is at stake.
The rapid adoption of cloud innovation has accelerated the future of cloud, with cybercriminals adopting ‘out-of-the-box’ tactics to violate data privacy. The dire crisis calls for increasing dependency on ethical hackers to protect the massive datasets on the cloud. Whether you're a business leader or a future cybersecurity expert, this guide breaks down what you need to know about cloud security and the promising avenues of cloud hacking.
Significance of Cloud Security
With great cloud convenience comes the lurking threat of cyber risks, which can compromise business operations, revenue, and reputation. The growing adoption and reliance on cloud infrastructure make it a data rig for hackers aiming to steal and trade valuable sensitive data. This is why cloud ethical hacking is gaining supremacy for the secure harnessing of cloud potential for:
Unmatched security for data in transit and at rest
Addressing multi-cloud security challenges
Confidently harnessing cloud computing with secure, compliant practices
Cloud Security Risks
Before we delve deeper into the cloud hacking techniques, it is essential to understand the prevailing cloud risks to anticipate future challenges.
Account compromising or Hijacking is hackers’ all-time favorite tactic to gain unauthorised access to legitimate users’ accounts through brute force attacks, phishing, and credential stealing.
Denial-of-service (DoS) or Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) floods cloud resources with excessive traffic, making them unavailable to legitimate users.
Insider threats are the most dangerous ones, as they involve company employees and contractors who intentionally/unintentionally expose sensitive cloud resources and data.
Threat actors can also compromise cloud data privacy by injecting malicious software like viruses and ransomware.
Man-in-the-Cloud (MITC) attack is escalating for its stealth nature that exploits cloud synchronisation without compromising users’ credentials.
Cloud Cryptojacking is used by hackers to mine cryptos on cloud (unbeknownst to the original user)
Cloud Ethical Hacking Tools & Techniques
Now that you are aware of the potential cloud security risks, let’s understand the evolving role of Ethical Hacking in Cloud Computing, including the tools and techniques.
Cloud Ethical Hacking Tools
Here we present a compilation of ethical hacking tools for 2025 according to categories:
1) AI Hacking Tools
ReconAI
XploitGPT
HackerAI
Cortex XDR
AI-Hunter
ThreatGPT
AutoSploit
2) Network Scanning Tools
Nmap
Angry IP Scanner
Zenmap
Netcat
NetScanTools
Nessus
3) Vulnerability Scanning Tools
OpenVAS
Acunetix
Nexpose
SAINT Security Suite
Nikto
Qualys Cloud Platform
4) Password Cracking Tools
John the Ripper
Hashcat
RainbowCrack
Aircrack-ng
THC Hydra
Medusa
5) Wireless Hacking Tools
Wifite
Kismet
Fern Wi-Fi Cracker
Bully
CoWPAtty
InSSIDer
Cloud Ethical Hacking Techniques
Suppose you are deploying any of the major cloud players- AWS, Azure & GCP for scalable solutions and operations. In that case, it’s time to master the key ethical hacking techniques for optimum cloud security, such as:
1) Assessing cloud configurations Identifying misconfigurations in cloud security is a vital part of cloud ethical hacking, which can otherwise lead to incidents of intrusion and data risks. The process involves checking for publicly accessible cloud storage buckets, unrestricted API endpoints, and weaker password policies.
2) Penetration testing Cloud ethical hackers perform penetration testing to identify vulnerabilities in cloud infrastructure and applications. Cloud pentesting enables ethical hackers to assess the effectiveness of current security measures, identify potential attack vectors, and evaluate incident response capabilities.3) API security testing The importance of APIs in cloud computing is vital for efficiently managing data within cloud infrastructure. Evaluating API endpoints is crucial in cloud ethical hacking to identify vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. A lack of proper security measures can make these interfaces vulnerable to malware risks.
4) Assessing data security Cloud ethical hackers are responsible for safe data storage, transmission, and secure access within the cloud. A robust data security assessment is essential for identifying weak encryption processes, improper access control, and other associated risks.
5) Shared responsibility model Cloud Penetration testing also involves auditing of Service Level Agreements (SLAs) as well as the shared responsibility model. Ethical hacking is limited to areas the client is authorised to test, mainly data and applications. Infrastructure and virtualisation layers usually remain the cloud provider’s responsibility, except in IaaS models. Understanding these boundaries is crucial to avoid compliance violations and ensure effective security testing.
Best Cloud Security Practices
Strong IAM practices to ensure only the intended people can access the right data
Regular monitoring to ensure secure configurations using automated tools
Enabling data encryption for both data in transit and at rest
Network segmentation to isolate cloud resources
Cloud vulnerability management by applying patches and vulnerability scanning
Planning a prompt incident response for quick breach mitigation
Security Tips
Besides the above mandatory cloud security techniques, some added security tips could strengthen cloud infrastructure from rapidly evolving cloud vectors, such as:
Implement data loss prevention tools to prevent leakage of sensitive data
Maintain strict adherence to regulatory and industry standards
Conduct regular employee training on evolving cloud vectors and immediate measures
Adopt a zero-trust architecture for mandatory verification for every access request
Implement cloud-native security tools and services for robust protection
Job Roles in Cloud Security
Interested in launching a rewarding career as a modern-day cloud ethical hacker? We are unveiling the list of the most lucrative job roles in cloud security in 2025 that will definitely motivate your learning curve:
Cloud Security Architect
Cloud Security Engineer
Cloud Security Analyst
Cloud Security Manager
CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) - Cloud Services
Cloud Security Consultant
Conclusion
Cloud is a redefining factor in revolutionising the current business landscape and the future, already brimming with both opportunities and security challenges. To every aspiring cloud security professional out there, it’s time to level up your ethical hacking skills with DataSpace Academy’s industry-leading Ethical Hacking Course, curated by industry experts. Join the elite league of ethical hackers today!
FAQs:
1) What is ethical hacking in cloud computing? Ethical hacking is one of the most revered skills in the profile of a cybersecurity professional. Also known as white-hat hacking, ethical hacking in cloud computing refers to the process of implementing hacking tools and techniques to secure cloud infrastructure.
2) What are some top ethical hacking tools for cybersecurity in 2025? Some of the most popular ethical hacking tools are ReconAI, XploitGPT, Netcat, Nessus, John the Ripper, InSSIDer, and Aircrack-ng, to name a few. Ethical hacking in cloud computing requires expert-level proficiency with tools and techniques to assess the security of the cloud environment.
3) What are the job roles in cloud security? Some of the most lucrative job roles for ethical hackers in cloud computing in 2025 are:
Cloud Security Architect
Cloud Security Engineer
Cloud Security Analyst
Cloud Security Manager
CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) - Cloud Services
3) API security testing
