The CSA Cloud Controls Matrix (CCM) V4: Raising the cloud security bar to the next level

The Cloud Security Alliance released version 4 of the Cloud Controls Matrix (CCM). The upgrade from CCM v3.0.1 to v4 has been imperative considering the evolution of the cloud security landscape, both from the technical and legal and regulatory standpoint. There was also a need for organizations to make the implementation of security and privacy controls more efficient and streamline compliance.

https://cloudsecurityalliance.org/blog/2021/01/21/the-csa-cloud-controls-matrix-ccm-v4-raising-the-cloud-security-bar-to-the-next-level/

🔹How We Escaped Docker in Azure Functions

Vulnerability in Azure Functions which would allow an attacker to escalate privileges and escape the Azure Functions Docker container to the Docker host. Microsoft has determined that the vulnerability has no security impact on Function users as the Docker host itself is protected by a Hyper-V boundary.

https://www.intezer.com/blog/research/how-we-escaped-docker-in-azure-functions/

#azure

🔸Cloud Security Table Top Exercises

A great list of scenarios to think through by Matt Fuller, including:

- Malicious VPC peering request
- Compromised Lambda Layers
- Injected CloudFormation Templates
- Broken CloudTrail Logs
- and a bunch more

https://matthewdf10.medium.com/cloud-security-table-top-exercises-629d353c268e?

#aws

🔴New whitepaper: Designing and deploying a data security strategy with Google Cloud

New 23 page whitepaper from the GCP team: “we wanted to explore both the question of starting a data security program in a cloud-native way, as well as adjusting your existing daily security program when you start utilizing cloud computing.” It covers the 3 pillars of effective cloud security (Identity, Boundary and Access, Visibility), controls that enable the pillars, rethinking your data security strategy, and more.

https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/identity-security/start-a-data-security-program-in-a-cloud-native-way-on-google-cloud

#gcp

🔸AWS Service Control Policies (SCPs)

Nice overview page of SCPs by Marco Lancini covering what they are, what they can’t do, and example policies like denying API calls from root users, denying the ability to disrupt CloudTrail or GuardDuty, and more.

https://cloudsecdocs.com/aws/devops/resources/scps/

#aws

🔸Building a secure CI/CD pipeline for Terraform Infrastructure as Code

How the OVO team created a model for delivering infrastructure changes with robust security practices, and used to it build a secure Terraform CI/CD solution for AWS.

https://tech.ovoenergy.com/building-a-secure-ci-cd-pipeline-for-terraform-infrastructure-as-code/

#aws

🔸Security Logging in Cloud Environments - AWS

Post by Marco Lancini describing how to design a multi-account security-related logging platform in AWS. He discusses various services (CloudTrail, CloudWatch, GuardDuty, Config), access logs, collecting logs, long-term storage and audit trail, and monitoring and alerting.

https://www.marcolancini.it/2021/blog-security-logging-cloud-environments-aws/

#aws

CISO’s Guide to Cloud Security Transformation

New whitepaper by GCP covering: “prepare your company culture for cloud security, evolve how your company works, evolve key security roles and responsibilities, and design your security operating model.”

https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/identity-security/cisos-guide-to-cloud-security-transformation

🔴Lateral Movement & Privilege Escalation in GCP; Compromise Organizations without Dropping an Implant

"In this talk, we'll demonstrate several techniques to perform identity compromise via the ActAs permission, privilege escalation, lateral movement, and widespread project compromise in Google Cloud. We will also release tools for exploitation."

https://youtu.be/kyqeBGNSEIc

#gcp

🔸Top ten AWS identity health checks to improve security in the cloud

Ten recommended AWS identity health checks which can help you understand your IAM health, prioritize improvements to your IAM implementation, and operationalize effective access management processes.

https://k9security.io/docs/aws-identity-health-checks/

#aws

🔸Retrieving AWS security credentials from the AWS console

How to retrieve AWS security credentials (AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID, AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY and AWS_SESSION_TOKEN) when authenticated in the AWS Console.

https://blog.christophetd.fr/retrieving-aws-security-credentials-from-the-aws-console/

#aws

🔸AWS Visibility & Enforcement

A cheatsheet of a number of useful tools for getting visibility into your cloud environment and continuously enforcing security policies, by Marco Lancini.

https://cloudsecdocs.com/aws/devops/tooling/visibility/

#aws

🔸iam-service-account-controller

Kubernetes controller that automatically manages AWS IAM roles for ServiceAccounts.

https://github.com/ovotech/iam-service-account-controller

#aws

🔸🔴Access Service: Temporary Access to the Cloud

How the Segment Security Engineering Team approaches access to AWS/GCP roles and SaaS apps, and how they implemented a time-based, peer-reviewed access.

https://segment.com/blog/access-service/

#aws #gcp

🔸Protecting Amazon S3 Data from Ransomware

Ransomware targeting S3 is more than likely to simply delete your data and claim that it's being held ransom than actually encrypting it

https://securingthe.cloud/aws/protecting-amazon-s3-data-from-ransomware/

#aws