Amazon AWS Access Key ID

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Written By Threat NG Staff

In cybersecurity, an Amazon AWS Access Key ID is a critical security credential that grants programmatic access to Amazon Web Services (AWS) resources when paired with a Secret Access Key. Here's a breakdown:

  • Purpose:

    • AWS Access Keys enable applications, tools, and scripts to interact with AWS services via the AWS API, allowing for automation and integration of AWS services.

    • They serve as authentication credentials, verifying the entity's identity and making the API requests.

  • Components:

    • An Access Key consists of two parts:

      • Access Key ID: A public identifier.

      • Secret Access Key: A private key that must be kept confidential.

  • Cybersecurity Implications:

    • Risk of Exposure: If Access Keys are compromised (e.g., accidentally committed to public code repositories, stored insecurely), malicious actors can gain unauthorized access to AWS resources.

    • Potential Damage: Depending on the permissions associated with the compromised keys, attackers could:

      • Access or steal sensitive data.

      • Launch or terminate EC2 instances.

      • Modify or delete AWS resources.

      • Incur significant financial costs.

    • Security Best Practices:

      • Least Privilege: Grant only the necessary permissions to Access Keys.

      • Key Rotation: Regularly rotate Access Keys to limit the impact of potential compromises.

      • Avoid Embedding Keys: Never embed Access Keys directly in code.

      • Use IAM Roles: Whenever possible, use IAM roles instead of Access Keys, especially for applications running on EC2 instances.

      • Secure Storage: Store Access Keys securely, such as using AWS Secrets Manager.

      • Monitoring: Monitor AWS CloudTrail logs for suspicious API activity.

    • Essentially, they are like a username and password used for programmatic access to the AWS cloud platform. So, like any login credential, they must be very carefully protected.

To explain how ThreatNG helps uncover AWS Access Key IDs present in mobile apps, let's break down its capabilities in detail:

1. External Discovery

ThreatNG excels at external discovery. It can perform purely external unauthenticated discovery without needing connectors. In the context of mobile apps, ThreatNG can discover applications associated with an organization by searching various app marketplaces (e.g., Apple App Store, Google Play). This initial discovery is crucial as it identifies the applications that will be further assessed for security vulnerabilities.

2. External Assessment

ThreatNG provides robust external assessment capabilities. Here's how it helps in identifying exposed AWS Access Key IDs within mobile apps:

  • Mobile App Exposure: ThreatNG explicitly evaluates an organization's mobile app exposure. As part of this assessment, it analyzes the contents of mobile apps discovered in marketplaces. 

  • Authentication/Authorization Tokens & Keys: ThreatNG's assessment includes looking for various authentication and authorization tokens and keys within the mobile apps, including "Amazon AWS Access Key ID." ThreatNG actively searches for these credentials within the app's code or configuration.

  • Types of Credentials Detected: ThreatNG doesn't just look for AWS Access Key IDs. It also identifies a wide range of other credentials that could be present, such as:

    • AWS API Key 

    • Artifactory API Token 

    • Authorization Bearer tokens 

    • Discord BOT Token 

    • Facebook Access Token 

    • GitHub Access Token 

    • Google API Key 

    • And many more 

  • Authentication Credentials: Beyond just tokens and keys, ThreatNG also looks for other authentication credentials like usernames and passwords, OAuth credentials (Client IDs and Secrets), and service account/key files.

  • Private Keys: ThreatNG even searches for embedded private keys used for cryptography, such as PGP, RSA, and SSH private keys. 

In essence, ThreatNG performs a comprehensive analysis of mobile apps to uncover various embedded credentials, focusing on identifying AWS Access Key IDs.

3. Reporting

ThreatNG provides various reporting formats, including technical reports. These reports would detail the findings of the mobile app assessments, including instances where AWS Access Key IDs or other sensitive credentials were found. This allows security teams to understand the vulnerabilities and prioritize remediation efforts quickly.

4. Continuous Monitoring

ThreatNG offers continuous monitoring of the external attack surface. This is crucial because mobile apps can be updated frequently, and new versions might inadvertently include exposed credentials. Continuous monitoring ensures that any new exposures are detected promptly.

5. Investigation Modules

ThreatNG includes investigation modules that provide detailed intelligence. These modules would aid in understanding the context of exposed AWS Access Key IDs. For example:

  • Mobile Application Discovery: This module details the discovered mobile apps, including where they were found (e.g., which app store). 

  • Code Repository Exposure: This module discovers public code repositories and their exposure level. If an exposed AWS Access Key ID in a mobile app is also found in a public code repository, it will highlight a greater risk.

  • Domain Intelligence: This module provides information about the organization's domains, subdomains, and related infrastructure. This can help understand the potential impact of an exposed AWS Access Key ID by providing context about the organization's overall digital footprint.

Example of Investigation:

ThreatNG's external discovery finds a " CompanyApp " mobile app in the Google Play Store. The external assessment then identifies an embedded AWS Access Key ID within the app. The investigation modules can then be used to:

  • Confirm the app's legitimacy and its association with the organization.

  • Investigate if the same AWS Access Key ID is exposed in public code repositories.

  • Use domain intelligence to understand the potential impact if an attacker uses the compromised key.

6. Intelligence Repositories

ThreatNG's intelligence repositories contain a wealth of information that complements the mobile app assessments. These repositories include data from the dark web, compromised credentials, and known vulnerabilities. 

  • Compromised Credentials: If ThreatNG finds an AWS Access Key ID, it can check its intelligence repositories to see if that key or related credentials have been found in any data breaches or on the dark web. This would further validate the risk associated with the exposed key.

7. Working with Complementary Solutions

ThreatNG is designed to work with complementary security solutions:

  • Mobile Application Security Testing (MAST) Tools: ThreatNG's external discovery and assessment can be used to identify mobile apps that should be subjected to deeper analysis by MAST tools. MAST tools can then perform dynamic analysis of the app to identify runtime vulnerabilities and confirm the exploitability of exposed credentials.

  • Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) Systems: ThreatNG can feed its findings, including exposed AWS Access Key IDs, into a SIEM system. To detect potential attacks, the SIEM can correlate this information with other security events, such as unusual AWS API activity.

  • Identity and Access Management (IAM) Solutions: ThreatNG's findings can be used to audit and improve IAM policies. For example, if ThreatNG finds an exposed AWS Access Key ID, the IAM solution can identify the permissions associated with that key and revoke them.

By combining ThreatNG's external attack surface management capabilities with the detailed analysis of mobile apps and integration with other security tools, organizations can effectively identify and mitigate the risks associated with exposed AWS Access Key IDs and other sensitive credentials in their mobile applications.

Threat NG Staff
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