Google Cloud Security Pentesting Methodology

Google Cloud Security Pentesting Methodology

Penetration Test of a Web Application hosted on Google Cloud in 2023 is quite different to just a simple/traditional web app pentesting.
Cloud Penetration testing is misunderstood to be just config review in Google Cloud. In this video, we have Kat Traxler who is a cloud security researcher, SANS Course author and has worked in the Google Cloud space to even build open source tools that can be used to perform cloud security testing.


Episode YouTube: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Video Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


Host Twitter: Ashish Rajan (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@hashishrajan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)

Guest Socials: Kat Traxler (⁠⁠ Kat Traxler's Linkedin ⁠⁠)

Podcast Twitter - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@CloudSecPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you want to watch videos of this LIVE STREAMED episode and past episodes - Check out our other Cloud Security Social Channels:

- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cloud Security Newsletter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cloud Security BootCamp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


Spotify TimeStamp for Interview Question

(00:00) Introduction

(04:17) A bit about Kat Traxler

(05:56) Pentesting in GCP vs AWS

(08:07) Config review vs cloud pentesting

(09:24) Cloud pentest vs Traditional Pentest

(10:28) Starting to do GCP pentesting

(12:35) Common services used in GCP

(14:10) Low hanging fruits in GCP

(15:25) What are default service accounts?

(17:52) You may already have google cloud

(20:00) How to persist access in Google Cloud?

(21:56) Shared responsibility in GCP

(24:01) Common TTPs in GCP

(28:05) Is there SSRF in GCP?

(30:19) Open source tools for cloud pentest

(33:59) Fun questions


Resources that Kat shared during the episode

See you at the next episode!

Jaksot(344)

Prioritizing Cloud Security: How to Decide What to Protect First

Prioritizing Cloud Security: How to Decide What to Protect First

When you can't protect everything at once, how do you decide what matters most? This episode tackles the core challenge of security prioritization. Geet Pradhan, Senior Security Engineer at Lime joins...

23 Kesä 202541min

Migrating from “Tick Box" Compliance to Automating GRC in a Multi-Cloud World

Migrating from “Tick Box" Compliance to Automating GRC in a Multi-Cloud World

In many organizations, security exception management is a manual process, often treated as a simple compliance checkbox. While necessary, this approach can lead to unmonitored configurations that drif...

17 Kesä 202528min

Using AI Agents to Solve Cloud Vulnerability Overload

Using AI Agents to Solve Cloud Vulnerability Overload

In this episode, Ashish Rajan talks with Harry Wetherald, Co-Founder & CEO of Maze, about the reality of modern vulnerability management. They explore why current tools like CNAPPs can generate up to ...

17 Kesä 202538min

Adapting to New Threats, Copilot Risks & The Future of Data (Feat. Matthew Radolec, Varonis)

Adapting to New Threats, Copilot Risks & The Future of Data (Feat. Matthew Radolec, Varonis)

AI is reshaping cybersecurity as we know it. From sophisticated AI-driven phishing attacks to the amplified risk of insider threats using tools like Copilot, the landscape is shifting at an unpreceden...

3 Kesä 202539min

Securing AI: Threat Modeling & Detection

Securing AI: Threat Modeling & Detection

Is Artificial Intelligence the ultimate security dragon, we need to slay, or a powerful ally we must train? Recorded LIVE at BSidesSF, this special episode dives headfirst into the most pressing debat...

27 Touko 202537min

CYBERSECURITY for AI: The New Threat Landscape & How Do We Secure It?

CYBERSECURITY for AI: The New Threat Landscape & How Do We Secure It?

As Artificial Intelligence reshapes our world, understanding the new threat landscape and how to secure AI-driven systems is more crucial than ever. We spoke to Ankur Shah, Co-Founder and CEO of Strai...

20 Touko 202540min

Cloud Security Evolved: From CNAPP to AI Threats

Cloud Security Evolved: From CNAPP to AI Threats

The world of cloud security is evolving at breakneck speed. Are traditional tools and strategies enough to combat the sophisticated threats of tomorrow? In this episode, we're joined by Elad Koren, Vi...

15 Touko 202519min

RSA Conference 2025 Recap: Top Themes, Actionable Insights & Future Trends

RSA Conference 2025 Recap: Top Themes, Actionable Insights & Future Trends

Dive deep into the key takeaways from RSA Conference 2025 with our expert panel! Join Ashish Rajan, James Berthoty, Chris Hughes, Tanya Janca, and Francis Odum as they dissect the biggest trends, surp...

9 Touko 202553min