Exercise 20: Exploiting Cloud Service Misuse (Zombie Resources)

Objective:

Understand the risks associated with zombie resources—unused or forgotten cloud resources that remain active and misconfigured. Simulate an attacker exploiting forgotten instances and recommend best practices for identifying, auditing, and securing zombie resources.

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Scenario:

An organization has deployed multiple instances, and one EC2 instance has been left active with open ports and outdated configurations. This forgotten resource becomes a potential entry point for attackers. Your goal is to demonstrate how attackers can exploit these zombie resources and recommend strategies for proper resource management.

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Lab Setup:

Prerequisites:

1. Access to a cloud platform:
   • AWS for EC2 or Google Cloud for VMs.
2. Installed tools:
   • nmap (Download).

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Steps to Set Up the Lab:

Step 1: Deploy an AWS EC2 Instance:

1. Launch the EC2 Instance:
   • Log in to the AWS Management Console.
   • Navigate to EC2 > Launch Instances.
   • Configure the instance:
     • AMI: Amazon Linux 2 or Ubuntu.
     • Instance Type: t2.micro.
     • Security Group: Configure the following rules:
       • SSH (port 22): Allow from 0.0.0.0/0 (public access).
       • HTTP (port 80): Allow from 0.0.0.0/0.
   • Launch the instance and note its public IP.
2. Install Vulnerable Services:
   • Connect to the instance via SSH:bashCopyEditssh -i <key-file>.pem ec2-user@<public-ip>
   • Install Apache and configure a basic website:bashCopyEditsudo yum install httpd -y sudo systemctl start httpd echo "Zombie Resource - Test Page" | sudo tee /var/www/html/index.html
   • Leave unnecessary services running, such as a MySQL server (optional):bashCopyEditsudo yum install mariadb-server -y sudo systemctl start mariadb
3. Forget to Terminate the Instance:
   • Simulate a scenario where the instance is left running after its purpose is fulfilled.

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Exercise: Exploiting the Zombie Resource

Objective:

Simulate an attacker discovering and exploiting the forgotten resource to demonstrate how zombie resources pose security risks.

1. Discover the Zombie Instance:
   • Use nmap to scan for open ports on the instance:bashCopyEditnmap -Pn -p 22,80,3306 <public-ip>
   • Identify running services, such as:
     • Port 22: SSH.
     • Port 80: Apache HTTP server.
     • Port 3306: MySQL.
2. Exploit Open Ports:
   • SSH Brute Force (Optional):
     • Use hydra to brute force the SSH login if weak credentials are in use:bashCopyEdithydra -l ec2-user -P /usr/share/wordlists/rockyou.txt ssh://<public-ip>
   • Test the HTTP Service:
     • Access the website at http://<public-ip> and inspect for sensitive or outdated information.
   • Exploit the MySQL Server (Optional):
     • Attempt to connect using default credentials:bashCopyEditmysql -h <public-ip> -u root -p
3. Simulate Lateral Movement:
   • Use the SSH access to enumerate other resources or credentials on the instance:bashCopyEditls ~/.aws/

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Tools Required:

1. AWS EC2 or Google Cloud VM: For deploying the zombie resource.
2. nmap: For scanning and enumerating services.
3. hydra (optional): For brute-forcing weak credentials.

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Deliverables:

1. Exploit Report:
   • Evidence of discovering and accessing the zombie resource.
   • Screenshots of open ports, vulnerable services, or credentials.
2. Recommendations for Mitigating Zombie Resources:
   • Best practices for resource management, monitoring, and regular audits.

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Solution:

1. Identified Vulnerabilities:
   • Open Ports: SSH, HTTP, and MySQL ports allowed public access, exposing the instance to attackers.
   • Forgotten Resource: The instance was left running, consuming resources and increasing the attack surface.
   • Unpatched Services: Outdated or vulnerable services created additional risks.
2. Consequences:
   • Unauthorized Access: Attackers could exploit open ports to gain access to the instance.
   • Data Breach: Sensitive data stored on the instance could be exposed.
   • Resource Abuse: The instance could be used for malicious activities, such as crypto-mining or DDoS attacks.
3. Prevention Techniques:
   • Regular Resource Audits:
     • Use AWS Trusted Advisor or GCP Resource Manager to identify unused or underutilized resources.
   • Enable Monitoring and Alerts:
     • Configure AWS CloudWatch or GCP Monitoring to alert on long-running instances or unusual activity.
   • Apply Security Group Best Practices:
     • Restrict access to specific IP ranges.
     • Example Security Group Rule:
       • Type: SSH
       • Protocol: TCP
       • Port Range: 22
       • Source: Custom (e.g., 192.168.1.0/24).
   • Terminate Unused Resources:
     • Create lifecycle policies to automatically terminate unused instances or snapshots.
   • Use Tagging:
     • Tag resources with metadata (e.g., Environment=Development) to track and manage their usage.

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Conclusion:

This exercise highlights how unused or misconfigured cloud resources, known as zombie resources, create security risks and waste resources. By performing regular audits, applying strict access controls, and monitoring resource usage, organizations can mitigate these risks and maintain a secure cloud environment.