Mastering Cloud Defence: Practical Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for Securing Cloud Environments

Cloud computing now powers everything from startups to global enterprises.
But with this scale comes risk: as cloud adoption surges, so does attacker sophistication.
Their tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) have evolved to exploit the nuances of
cloud infrastructure - and many engineering teams are still playing catch-up.

This guide walks through practical ways to defend your cloud stack, based on real-world techniques.
Whether you’re securing AWS, Azure, or GCP, the goal is the same: tighten defences,
reduce exposure, and respond fast when things go wrong.
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Foundations First: Cloud Security Fundamentals

Before we dig into specific TTPs, it’s worth grounding ourselves in some essential cloud security
principles. While your cloud provider manages physical infrastructure, securing applications,
data, and access is your responsibility.

A few key fundamentals apply regardless of your platform:

• Shared Responsibility Model – Providers handle the hardware and base services;
  you’re on the hook for securing identities, configurations, and data.
  
• Least Privilege – Grant only the access that’s needed, and no more. Every extra
  permission is a potential breach path.
  
• Automation is Non-Negotiable – Manual audits don’t scale. Automate monitoring,
  scanning, and responses.
  
• Compliance Requirements – Regulations differ by industry and region. You need to align
  cloud configurations with them from day one.
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Defensive Cloud TTPs: How to Harden Your Environment

Let’s break down the top TTPs your team can use to stay ahead of cloud-based attacks.

1. Lock Down Identity and Access Management (IAM)

IAM missteps are a goldmine for attackers - and sadly, they’re common. One overly permissive policy
can open the door to critical data or infrastructure.

Tactic: Apply least privilege across all services.
Technique: Use role-based access control (RBAC) to define who can do what, and where.
Procedure: Audit and flag risky permissions with tools like AWS IAM Access Analyzer
or Azure AD Privileged Identity Management.

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‍2. Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

If you’re still relying solely on passwords, you’re exposed. MFA is low-hanging fruit
that shuts down a large chunk of common attacks.

Tactic: Require MFA across all accounts - especially anything with admin access.
Technique: Enforce MFA for CLI, web portals, and API changes.
Procedure: Integrate MFA into your IAM policies and CI/CD gates.

Most attackers move on when they hit MFA. They’re looking for the easy path. Don’t be that path.

3. Use Network Segmentation and Microsegmentation

Think of your network like a ship: if water floods one section, the whole thing shouldn’t sink.

Tactic: Isolate environments using VPCs or VNets.
Technique: Control traffic with ACLs, security groups, and routing rules.
Procedure: Limit east-west traffic between services using microsegmentation.

Tools like AWS Security Groups and Azure NSGs are built for this. Use them to their full extent.

4. Prioritize Logging and Monitoring

You can’t stop what you can’t see. Logs are your early warning system.

Tactic: Turn on logging for everything - API calls, auth events, storage access, you name it.
Technique: Leverage built-in tools like AWS CloudTrail, Azure Monitor, and GCP Operations Suite.
Procedure: Route logs to a SIEM (e.g., Splunk, Datadog) and set up alerts for anomalies.

5. Encrypt Everything - At Rest and In Transit

Encryption isn’t optional anymore. It’s your fail-safe if everything else breaks down.

Tactic: Encrypt sensitive data everywhere.
Technique: Use KMS services from AWS, Azure, or GCP.
Procedure: Secure key storage, rotate keys regularly, and enforce TLS on all traffic.

Data that’s encrypted and properly keyed is a dead end for attackers.

Real-World Example: Preventing S3 Bucket Exposure

S3 bucket breaches are still happening - often due to simple misconfigurations.

What to do:

• IAM: Audit bucket policies regularly and restrict access.
  
• MFA: Required for any changes to storage configurations.
  
• Logging: Enable access logs and monitor for unusual patterns.
  
• Encryption: Always encrypt stored objects with KMS.
  

Offensive TTPs: Understanding How Attackers Break In

Knowing how attackers think is your best defence.

1. Credential Stuffing and Brute-Force

One leaked password can compromise your whole environment.

Tactic: Use automation to test thousands of credential combinations.
Technique: Target login portals or CLI endpoints.
Procedure: Attempt brute-force or use leaked credentials found in breaches.
Defence: Enforce strong password policies, MFA, and rate limits. Block repeated failed logins.

2. Misconfigured Cloud Services

Misconfigurations are low-effort, high-reward for attackers.

Tactic: Scan for exposed storage, databases, or admin panels.
Technique: Use tools like Shodan to find open ports or public IPs.
Procedure: Gain access, exfiltrate data, or escalate privileges.
Defence: Run continuous config audits with AWS Config, Azure Security Center, etc.

3. Privilege Escalation via IAM

Attackers don’t need admin access—yet. With the right misconfig, they’ll get it.

Tactic: Look for over-permissioned roles or trust relationships.
Technique: Abuse role-switching or policy gaps.
Procedure: Elevate to admin, disable logs, or modify firewall rules.
Defence: Regularly review IAM roles. Use analyzers to catch escalation paths.

Real-World Example: API Key Compromise

A classic scenario: A developer accidentally pushes an API key to GitHub.

What happens:

• Step 1: API key is exposed.
  
• Step 2: Attacker finds it using automated scanners.
  
• Step 3: Malicious usage—often launching compute instances or stealing data.
  
• Step 4: Team responds by rotating keys, revoking access.

Incident Response: What to Do When It All Goes Wrong

Having a plan matters. In cloud environments, speed of response is everything.

IR Plan Essentials:

1. Detection – Use logs and anomaly detection to catch threats early.
   
2. Alerting – Prioritize issues with a SIEM.
   
3. Automation – Auto-respond where possible (key rotation, isolate compromised VMs).
   
4. Investigation – Trace root cause, isolate blast radius.
   
5. Recovery – Patch, restore, document. Learn from it.

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‍Final Example: Stopping IAM Escalation

One team accidentally gave an IAM role permissions to alter security groups.
Attackers exploited it to widen network access and elevate to admin.

How to prevent it:

• Run IAM Access Analyzer daily.
  
• Enforce least privilege.
  
• Use MFA on all privileged roles.

Conclusion: Stay Proactive or Stay Vulnerable

Cloud threats are fast-moving, and your defences need to be just as agile. The good news?
Most cloud breaches stem from misconfigurations - not zero-days. You have the tools to stop them.

Quick Recap:

• Audit IAM constantly
  
• Enforce MFA everywhere
  
• Log everything and alert smartly
  
• Encrypt data and keys
  
• Plan for failure - incident response is key

Security isn’t something you finish. It’s something you practice every day.