5 Critical AWS Vulnerabilities You’re Responsible For (And How to Fix Them)

If you’re using AWS, it’s easy to assume your cloud security is handled. But that’s a dangerous misconception. While AWS secures its own infrastructure, security within your cloud environment remains your responsibility.

Think of AWS security like protecting a building: AWS provides strong walls and a solid roof, but it’s up to you to handle the locks, install alarm systems, and ensure valuables aren’t left exposed.

In this report, we’ll clarify what AWS doesn’t secure, highlight real-world vulnerabilities, and show you how to mitigate them effectively.

AWS follows a Shared Responsibility Model, meaning:

AWS is responsible for securing the underlying infrastructure (e.g., hardware, networking, data centers) — the “walls and roof.”You are responsible for securing data, applications, and configurations within AWS — the “locks and alarms.”

Understanding this distinction is critical for maintaining a secure AWS environment.

Applications hosted in AWS are still vulnerable to SSRF attacks, where attackers trick a server into making unauthorized requests on their behalf. This can lead to unauthorized data access, credential leaks, and further exploitation.

How to Defend Against SSRF:

Regularly scan and patch vulnerabilities in applications.Enable AWS IMDSv2 for an additional security layer against SSRF attacks.Restrict outgoing network access to only necessary destinations.

AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) lets you control who can access what resources, but only if configured correctly. The most common mistakes include:

Overly permissive roles and…