Pacu: The Ultimate Tool for AWS Exploitation – Past, Present, and Future

Oct 21, 2024

In the realm of cloud security, there are few tools as versatile and specialized as Pacu. Created by Rhino Security Labs, this open-source framework has become a must-have for anyone involved in the offensive security of Amazon Web Services (AWS) environments. Pacu is akin to the Metasploit framework but focuses entirely on exploiting vulnerabilities in the cloud, making it essential for penetration testers aiming to evaluate the security of AWS deployments.

This guide will take you through the history, evolution, and potential future of Pacu, while exploring why it's such a valuable tool for today's cybersecurity professionals.

What Makes Pacu Special?

First and foremost, Pacu is designed for offensive AWS security testing. It's modular, allowing users to run a wide array of attack simulations across different AWS services. Whether you're attempting to escalate privileges, exfiltrate sensitive data, or test cloud configurations, Pacu has modules to help you achieve these tasks.

At its core, Pacu excels at:

  • Privilege Escalation: Identifying and exploiting misconfigurations in AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) policies is one of its core functions. Tools like the privesc_scan module can automate the discovery of 20+ privilege escalation vectors​
  • Data Exfiltration: With its S3-focused modules, Pacu can help testers simulate data exfiltration scenarios, especially in misconfigured environments​
  • Log and Monitoring Manipulation: AWS services like CloudTrail and GuardDuty are vital for monitoring, but Pacu enables testers to simulate the actions attackers take to avoid detection, such as log tampering and disabling alerts​

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What sets Pacu apart is not just its depth but also its focus on post-compromise activities—once you’ve got a foothold in an....

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