Exploring Amazon Web Services (AWS)

AWS is a cloud service provided by Seattle tech company, Amazon. AWS's comprehensive and easy-to-use setup makes it very attractive to small start-ups and large corporations. It works by allowing companies and businesses to set up their infrastructure off-premises and within the physical resources of Amazon. This type of service, called Infrastructure as a Service, delivers cloud computing as a whole service. You will see more of how easy it is to automate and build in AWS as we set up our lab throughout this book. However, you'll also notice some issues that may commonly be overlooked, such as security.

AWS doesn't take full responsibility for companies' data and security. In fact, Amazon has put out a shared responsibility model that ensures that both parties understand their rights and responsibilities in terms of customers' data. After all, Amazon is a company that is known as customer-obsessed.

AWS security and penetration testing

As you read through this book, you'll be exposed to some different concepts that may not have been discussed before. The reason for this is due to AWS pentesting being a relatively new subject that is gaining popularity in the security space of information technology. The good thing about this is it allows subject matter experts to lend a hand in helping to create a pentesting culture around AWS and provides newer ideas for how penetration testing is executed in both AWS and system security.

Next, you're going to dive into AWS and create an account of your very own. After that, we'll get started by creating our own cloud pentest playground where we will set up a vulnerable host that can be tested later on.