2025 Cloud Exploit Paths Threat Report en
2025 Cloud Exploit Paths Threat Report en
At the core of this insight is SentinelOne’s Verified Exploit Paths™ technology, which high-
lights potential attack routes and prioritizes risks within cloud environments. This unique
approach, powered by our Offensive Security Engine, simulates attacks against cloud in-
frastructure to uncover vulnerabilities and provide clarity on which issues are most press-
ing. This allows security teams to move beyond theoretical possibilities and focus their
attention on genuine, verified threats.
We’ve then coupled these threats with our Secrets Scanning data taken from the same cus-
tomer base. The exposure of secrets—such as API keys, credentials, and tokens—has become
an often underprioritised risk for organizations. In this report SentinelOne sets about illumi-
nating the most critical and prevalent types of secrets discovered within cloud environments.
This report presents an integrated view of in-depth analysis of each of the top verified
exploit paths as well as exposed secrets we are observing across our customer base for
each severity category—Critical, High, Medium and Low. As well as revealing the top 5 for
each severity category. These insights will empower organizations to:
By leveraging the findings from this report, security teams can gain a clearer understanding
of the practical threats facing their cloud infrastructure and take informed actions to bolster
their security posture.
SENTINELONE WHITE PAPER 2025 CLOUD VERIFIED EXPLOIT PATHS AND SECRETS SCANNING THREAT REPORT 2
Top 5 CRITICAL Severity Verified Exploit Paths Top 5 CRITICAL Severity Secrets
CVE-2020-35489 is a vulnerability affecting the Gurux.DLMS library, which is used in the implementation of
smart meter protocols. This specific flaw allows for denial of service (DoS) or potentially more severe impacts
due to improper input validation within the protocol’s parsing logic.
2. Remote Trigger
The flaw can be triggered remotely, allowing attackers to send malformed data over the network to
exploit the weakness, potentially leading to the exhaustion of system resources or crashes.
While there have been limited reports on widespread exploitation in the wild, any system utilizing this library
and exposed to untrusted network traffic could be vulnerable.
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Mitigation Techniques
Organizations can protect against CVE-2020-35489 with the following measures:
2. Input Validation
Implement additional input validation to detect and block malformed or unexpected data packets before
they reach critical parsing functions.
3. Network Segmentation
Restrict access to systems running the Gurux.DLMS library by segmenting networks and only allowing
trusted traffic.
Key Risks
1. Unauthorized Infrastructure Access
Exposed AWS Keys enable attackers to directly access AWS resources, potentially leading to
unauthorized data retrieval, infrastructure changes, or service disruptions.
2. Privilege Escalation
If the exposed keys have administrative privileges, attackers can escalate their access, gaining control
over the entire AWS account.
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4. Data Breach
Attackers can use the keys to access sensitive data stored in AWS services, including S3 buckets,
RDS databases, or other critical systems.
5. Lateral Movement
Exposed keys can provide attackers with an entry point to explore the broader cloud environment,
identifying and exploiting additional vulnerabilities.
Mitigation Techniques
1. Implement Key Management Best Practices
• Store AWS Keys securely using tools such as AWS Secrets Manager, AWS Systems Manager
Parameter Store, or third-party secret management solutions
• Never hardcode keys into source code or configuration files, and use environment variables or secret
injection instead.
4. Restrict Access
• Apply the principle of least privilege to ensure that access keys only have permissions required for
their specific tasks
• Use IAM policies to restrict API calls or regions that the keys can access.
9. Educate Developers
Train developers on the importance of key security and the dangers of sharing or exposing keys in
repositories, logs, or configuration files.
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Top 5 HIGH Severity Verified Exploit Paths Top 5 HIGH Severity Secrets
CVE-2021-40822 is a high-severity Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerability affecting GeoServer ver-
sions up to 2.18.5 and versions 2.19.x up to 2.19.2. This flaw can be exploited through the configuration option
that allows setting a proxy host, potentially enabling attackers to manipulate server requests to access inter-
nal resources or sensitive data. The main risk involves unauthorized data exposure as attackers can leverage
SSRF to send crafted requests via the vulnerable server.
2. Privilege Escalation
Once initial access is achieved, attackers may elevate their privileges using additional scripts or
vulnerabilities present in the environment, gaining administrative control.
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3. Payload Execution
With elevated privileges, the threat actor can execute commands remotely, install backdoors, exfiltrate
data, or pivot to other parts of the network, significantly amplifying the threat.
4. Persistence
Attackers may establish persistence through scheduled tasks, malware, or other tactics that maintain
their foothold even after defensive actions are attempted.
Impacted Systems
This CVE mainly targets cloud-based applications, especially those that handle data processing or have open
APIs susceptible to exploitation. The exposure often depends on outdated software versions or configurations
lacking recent patches.
Mitigation Strategies
1. Patch and Update
Ensure all affected software is updated to the latest version where the vulnerability is addressed.
2. Input Validation
Implement strict input validation and sanitation mechanisms across all API endpoints.
3. Access Controls
Restrict permissions and enforce least privilege principles to minimize the impact of successful
exploitation.
Key Risks
1. Unauthorized Data Access
Attackers can use exposed MongoDB credentials to gain direct access to databases, enabling them to
view, modify, or delete sensitive information.
2. Data Exfiltration
Once access is gained, attackers can extract valuable data, potentially leading to regulatory penalties,
reputational damage, or financial losses.
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3. Data Manipulation
Attackers may insert, update, or delete records, disrupting operations and eroding data integrity.
4. Service Abuse
Exposed credentials could be used to exploit database resources, leading to increased operational costs
or service disruptions.
5. Secondary Exploits
With database access, attackers could identify and exploit additional vulnerabilities, such as injecting
malicious scripts or escalating privileges.
Mitigation Techniques
1. Implement Access Controls
• Enforce role-based access control (RBAC) to ensure users and services have the minimum
permissions required.
• Restrict database access to specific IP addresses or networks using whitelisting.
4. Encrypt Data
Ensure all data is encrypted in transit (using TLS) and at rest (using built-in MongoDB encryption
features).
SENTINELONE WHITE PAPER 2025 CLOUD VERIFIED EXPLOIT PATHS AND SECRETS SCANNING THREAT REPORT 8
Top 5 MEDIUM Severity Verified Exploit Paths Top 5 MEDIUM Severity Secrets
Blind Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerabilities occur when an application can be induced to make
back-end HTTP requests to a supplied URL without returning the response to the attacker. This lack of direct
feedback makes exploitation more challenging but still potentially harmful.
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Mitigation Techniques
Organizations can implement the following measures to mitigate blind SSRF vulnerabilities:
1. Input Validation
Strictly validate and sanitize user inputs that are used in server-side requests.
4. Network Segmentation
Isolate internal services to prevent unauthorized access from compromised applications.
Key Risks
1. Service Abuse
• Exposed keys can allow attackers to exploit Google Cloud services at the organization’s expense,
resulting in unexpected charges or service disruptions.
• Attackers could use APIs like Maps for large-scale queries, leading to quota exhaustion and denial of
service for legitimate users.
2. Data Leakage
If the key has permissions for sensitive APIs (e.g., access to storage buckets or databases), attackers
could exfiltrate confidential data.
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3. Credential Harvesting
An exposed key could provide attackers with additional information about the organization’s Google
Cloud setup, enabling further targeted attacks.
4. Reputation Damage
Abuse of APIs (e.g., sending spam through YouTube APIs) could harm the organization’s reputation and
trust with customers.
Mitigation Techniques
1. Restrict API Key Usage
• Set API key restrictions by limiting access to specific IP addresses, referring URLs, or applications.
• Use service account keys instead of API keys for accessing critical Google Cloud services.
2. Implement Quotas
Define usage quotas and limits for API keys to prevent excessive usage and minimize the impact of abuse.
7. Educate Developers
• Train developers on secure coding practices to avoid hardcoding keys in source code.
• Encourage frequent code reviews to catch accidental exposures early.
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Top 5 LOW Severity Verified Exploit Paths Top 5 LOW Severity Secrets
3. Security Advantages
Deploying a strong CSP offers defense-in-depth, making it significantly harder for attackers to exploit
vulnerabilities like XSS.
4. Policy Types
Modern best practices recommend “strict” CSPs that use mechanisms like nonces or hashes for safer,
dynamic script handling.
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Top LOW Severity Exposed Secret
AWS RDS Credentials are another critical secret that, if exposed, poses significant security risks. These creden-
tials provide access to Amazon Relational Database Service (RDS) instances, which often store sensitive orga-
nizational and customer data. Their exposure can lead to severe consequences for both security and operations.
Key Risks
1. Unauthorized Database Access
• Exposed credentials allow attackers to directly access the RDS database, potentially gaining read,
write, or administrative privileges.
• This could lead to data theft, deletion, or unauthorized modifications.
2. Data Exfiltration
Attackers can export sensitive information, such as personally identifiable information (PII), intellectual
property, or financial records, leading to compliance violations and reputational damage.
5. Lateral Movement
Once inside the database, attackers might uncover additional information to move laterally within the
AWS environment, escalating privileges and compromising more assets.
Mitigation Techniques
1. Secure Credential Management
• Use AWS Secrets Manager or Systems Manager Parameter Store to securely store and manage
RDS credentials.
• Avoid hardcoding credentials in application code or configuration files.
3. Restrict Access
• Limit database access to specific trusted IP addresses or subnets using RDS security groups.
• Enforce role-based access control (RBAC) to ensure users and applications only have the minimum
required permissions.
4. Encrypt Data
• Use RDS encryption at rest to secure stored data.
• Ensure TLS encryption is enabled for all data transmitted to and from the database.
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5. Enable Monitoring and Alerts
• Use Amazon CloudWatch to monitor database activity and set up alerts for unusual access patterns
or spikes in usage.
• Enable RDS Enhanced Monitoring to track system-level metrics in real-time.
Conclusion
The 2025 Cloud Verified Exploit Paths and Secrets Scanning Threat Report underscores the evolving complexity
and interconnectedness of modern cloud security challenges. By combining insights from verified exploit paths
and secrets scanning, this report provides details and understanding amongst some of the most pressing risks
in cloud environments.
The findings reveal that attackers continue to exploit both technical vulnerabilities and exposed credentials to
compromise cloud infrastructures. From high-severity vulnerabilities like CVE-2021-40822 to critical secrets ex-
posures such as AWS Keys, these threats highlight the importance of proactive and layered security strategies.
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Recommended Next Steps
1. Prioritize Remediation
Focus on addressing the most prevalent and impactful vulnerabilities and secret exposures identified in
this report.
4. Invest in Automation
Leverage tools like SentinelOne’s Verified Exploit Paths™ and secrets scanning solutions to prioritize,
detect and mitigate threats in real-time.
5. Educate Teams
Ensure that all stakeholders, from developers to your security peers, understand their role in securing the
cloud environment.
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Platform
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Contact Us
[email protected]
+1-855-868-3733
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About SentinelOne
SentinelOne (NYSE:S) is pioneering autonomous cybersecurity to prevent, detect, and respond to cyber attacks faster and with higher accuracy than
ever before. Our Singularity XDR platform protects and empowers leading global enterprises with real-time visibility into attack surfaces, cross-platform
correlation, and AI-powered response. Achieve more capability with less complexity.
© SentinelOne 2025
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