Awesome CloudSec Labs

Overview

Awesome CloudSec Labs is a curated collection of free cloud native security learning labs, offering hands-on experience with CTF challenges, workshops, vulnerability labs, and research environments.

Features

• Free Learning Labs: No-cost cloud security training
• CTF Challenges: Capture the Flag competitions and challenges
• Self-Hosted Workshops: Run labs in your own environment
• Guided Vulnerability Labs: Step-by-step security exercises
• Research Environments: Testbeds for security research
• Multi-Cloud Coverage: AWS, Azure, GCP security labs
• Hands-On Practice: Real-world scenarios and exploits
• Offensive & Defensive: Both red team and blue team perspectives

Lab Categories

CTF Challenges

Cloud-Specific CTFs

• flAWS: AWS security challenges
• flAWS2: Advanced AWS security scenarios
• CloudGoat: Intentionally vulnerable AWS deployments
• AWSGoat: Vulnerable AWS infrastructure
• GCP-Goat: Google Cloud vulnerable environment
• AzureGoat: Azure security challenges

General Security CTFs with Cloud

• HackTheBox: Some cloud-based machines
• TryHackMe: Cloud security rooms
• PentesterLab: Cloud-focused exercises

Vulnerable Infrastructure

AWS

• CloudGoat: Rhino Security Labs' vulnerable AWS environment
• DVCA: Damn Vulnerable Cloud Application
• ServerlessGoat: Vulnerable serverless applications
• Sadcloud: Terraform IaC with vulnerabilities

Azure

• AzureGoat: Vulnerable Azure infrastructure
• Convex: Azure security lab
• Azure Security Lab: Microsoft security scenarios

GCP

• GCP-Goat: Intentionally insecure GCP environment
• Thunder CTF: Google Cloud security challenges

Multi-Cloud

• Kubernetes Goat: Vulnerable K8s cluster
• TerraGoat: IaC security testing

Self-Hosted Workshops

• Cloud Security Workshop: Deploy vulnerable apps
• Kubernetes Security Workshop: Cluster security
• Serverless Security Workshop: Function security
• Container Security Workshop: Docker/container security

Guided Vulnerability Labs

Privilege Escalation

• IAM misconfigurations
• SSRF to metadata service
• Role assumption attacks
• Container escape techniques

Data Exfiltration

• S3 bucket enumeration
• Database credential exposure
• Secrets in environment variables
• Snapshot/backup access

Lateral Movement

• Instance metadata abuse
• Cross-account access
• Service-to-service pivoting
• Kubernetes pod-to-pod movement

Research Environments

• Detection Lab: Build detection systems
• Purple Lab: Combined red/blue team exercises
• Honeypot Deployment: Cloud-based honeypots
• Security Tool Testing: Test cloud security tools

Skills Developed

Offensive Security

• Cloud enumeration techniques
• IAM exploitation
• Privilege escalation
• Data exfiltration
• Lateral movement
• Persistence mechanisms
• Supply chain attacks

Defensive Security

• Security monitoring
• Log analysis
• Incident response
• Threat detection
• Security hardening
• Compliance validation
• Forensics

Tools & Techniques

• Cloud security scanners (ScoutSuite, Prowler)
• Exploitation frameworks
• Enumeration tools (CloudMapper, Pacu)
• Container security (Trivy, Clair)
• Kubernetes security (kube-bench, kube-hunter)
• IAM analysis (Principal Mapper, CloudTracker)

Learning Paths

Beginner

1. Start with flAWS challenges
2. Try basic CloudGoat scenarios
3. Practice with guided tutorials
4. Learn cloud security fundamentals

Intermediate

1. flAWS2 advanced challenges
2. Complex CloudGoat scenarios
3. Multi-service attacks
4. Kubernetes security labs

Advanced

1. Research environments
2. Custom vulnerable infrastructure
3. Zero-day hunting
4. Advanced persistence techniques

Cloud Provider Coverage

AWS Labs

• IAM misconfiguration scenarios
• S3 bucket security
• EC2 instance exploitation
• Lambda function vulnerabilities
• RDS/database attacks

Azure Labs

• Azure AD attacks
• Storage account enumeration
• VM exploitation
• Function app security

GCP Labs

• GCP IAM issues
• Storage bucket misconfiguration
• Compute instance attacks
• Cloud Functions security

Kubernetes Labs

• Pod security
• RBAC exploitation
• Network policy bypass
• Admission controller testing

Certifications Supported

• AWS Certified Security - Specialty
• Azure Security Engineer Associate
• GCP Professional Cloud Security Engineer
• Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS)
• Various offensive security certifications

Community

• Labs created by security researchers
• Active community contributions
• Regular updates with new scenarios
• Shared writeups and solutions

Use Cases

Ideal for:

• Security professionals learning cloud security
• Penetration testers expanding to cloud
• DevSecOps engineers
• Certification candidates
• Security researchers
• Red/blue team members
• Students studying cloud security