Cloud Pentesting: Lessons from 2025

Those cloud data breaches back in 2025 were a huge wake-up call. It became clear that many companies weren’t managing access to their cloud environments properly. One major incident involved hackers exploiting third-party app tokens and accessing sensitive information from numerous businesses’ Salesforce accounts, including AWS keys, passwords, and Snowflake tokens.

Between August 8th and 18th, 2025, attackers leveraged these tokens to steal customer data, internal documents, and critical cloud credentials. This group was financially motivated, targeting weak cloud logins and moving laterally across AWS and other platforms.

Security professionals pointed out that attackers rarely go straight for Salesforce. Instead, they exploit misconfigured cloud settings and access controls. Without consistent oversight, these missteps can lead to major data leaks. Experts estimate billions of records, including private customer and company information, may have been exposed.

It’s not an isolated issue. Many AWS storage setups remain vulnerable due to poor configurations and lax security practices. These gaps effectively invite attackers to exploit unused permissions and exposed logins.

How the USUA team’s AWS and Cloud Security Testing Helps

With cloud attacks on the rise, the USUA team is expanding its AWS security testing and comprehensive security testing services to help companies identify vulnerabilities before they are exploited. Regular cloud penetration tests and penetration testing are essential for uncovering weaknesses proactively.

The USUA team begins with thorough AWS pentesting, combining automated scans with hands-on checks of IAM roles, network configurations, storage, and access permissions. Their methodology mimics real-world attackers to detect misconfigured resources, over-privileged roles, and exposed data. This approach is critical for reducing risk and ensuring that access is properly controlled.

USUA also conducts cloud IAM penetration tests, reviewing service account permissions, inter-application communication, and trust relationships between identities. The team’s pentesting and broader pentesting services extend these practices to cloud environments, ensuring that cloud security is robust across platforms.

Clients report that proactive security testing and penetration testing significantly improve cloud resilience. One organization avoided a potential breach when the USUA team identified risky IAM roles and access paths during a cloud penetration test, providing actionable recommendations to secure critical assets.

Regular cloud penetration tests not only detect obvious misconfigurations but also highlight how minor issues can escalate into serious vulnerabilities. By acting like advanced attackers, the USUA team strengthens client systems, enhances AWS security testing, and fortifies overall cloud security posture.

Looking Ahead to 2026

As cloud adoption continues to grow, the USUA team is committed to delivering expert AWS security testing, pentesting, and ongoing cloud IAM penetration tests. Organizations that integrate security testing, pentesting, and cloud penetration tests into regular operations are better prepared to detect weaknesses, prevent unauthorized access, and respond effectively to threats.

In 2026, combining expert penetration testing with continuous security testing will remain essential for companies that want to stay protected in increasingly complex cloud environments. The USUA team continues to provide guidance, expertise, and services to ensure that cloud platforms remain secure, resilient, and compliant.