[opensourcedex]

pacu is a free, open source threat detection & response project written in Python and released under BSD-3-Clause. It has 5,345 GitHub stars, 800 forks and 38 open issues, and was last pushed 4 months ago. On this registry it ranks #19 of 44 tracked projects in Threat Detection & Response, with 5 head-to-head comparisons available.

What is pacu?

Pacu is an open-source AWS exploitation framework from Rhino Security Labs, built for penetration testers and offensive security teams who need to test the security of Amazon Web Services environments.

What it is

Pacu is an open-source AWS exploitation framework designed for offensive security testing against cloud environments. It is created and maintained by Rhino Security Labs, written in Python, and released under the BSD-3-Clause licence. It lives in the Python and AWS security tooling ecosystem, installed through pip3 or pipx and also distributed as an official Docker image. Rather than assembling one-off scripts and ad-hoc AWS CLI calls for each step of an assessment, a tester works inside a single framework that allows them to exploit configuration flaws within an AWS account using modules that easily expand its functionality.

The concrete problem it addresses is authorised attack simulation inside a live AWS account. Current modules enable a range of attacks, including user privilege escalation, backdooring of IAM users, and attacking vulnerable Lambda functions. Pacu organises this work into sessions: the first time it is launched the user is prompted to start and name a new session, which stores AWS key pairs as well as any data obtained from running modules. Modules require an AWS key that grants minimal access, comprised of an access key ID and a secret access key, with an optional session token.

Key capabilities

  • Module-driven attacks including user privilege escalation, backdooring of IAM users, and attacking vulnerable Lambda functions.
  • Session storage for AWS key pairs and module output, with any number of sessions each holding their own keys and data.
  • The set_keys command to set a session's key alias, AWS access key ID, AWS secret access key, and session token.
  • The list command to show available modules for the regions set in the current session, and help module_name for module-specific help.
  • run module_name to run a module with default parameters, and run module_name --regions eu-west-1,us-west-1 for modules that support the --regions argument.
  • A CLI mode with pacu --help, pacu --session, pacu --list-modules, pacu --pacu-help, and pacu --module-name.
  • The official rhinosecuritylabs/pacu:latest Docker image, runnable directly, with a /bin/sh entrypoint alternative, or with a mounted ~/.aws configuration.

Who uses it and how

  • Penetration testers conducting offensive security testing against AWS accounts as part of an authorised engagement.
  • Kali Linux users, for whom pipx install git+https://github.com/RhinoSecurityLabs/pacu.git is the preferred route because pip is no longer installed by default on that distribution.
  • Docker-based testers running docker run -it rhinosecuritylabs/pacu:latest, using --entrypoint /bin/sh to bypass the default entrypoint, or mounting -v ~/.aws:/root/.aws, which the README warns exposes the host's AWS credentials to anyone with container access.
  • Testers keeping separate engagements apart, since any number of sessions with their own keys and data can be resumed, though a restart is currently required to switch between them.

Getting started

Install with pip3 install -U pacu and then run pacu, or use pipx install git+https://github.com/RhinoSecurityLabs/pacu.git on systems such as Kali Linux. The published Docker image rhinosecuritylabs/pacu:latest offers a third route.

How it compares

The facts provided name no paid products that Pacu replaces and no directly comparable tools, so it stands alone in this registry as an AWS exploitation framework. Its scope is defined by its maintainer, Rhino Security Labs, and by the offensive-security testing purpose stated in its own description.

When to use it — and when not to

Pacu is lightweight, requiring only Python 3.7+, pip3, and a handful of Python libraries, so a self-hoster has no database, object storage, or mail service to operate; the Docker image and the hosted Play with Docker stack remove even that setup. It is not a defensive monitoring, compliance, or threat-detection tool, and it should never be pointed at AWS accounts without explicit authorisation. The README is practical rather than exhaustive, directing users to the project wiki for fuller installation guidance, and session switching without a restart remains a known limitation.

project readme (upstream, from github) — read inline

Quick reference

What is Pacu?

Pacu is an open-source AWS exploitation framework, designed for offensive security testing against cloud environments. Created and maintained by Rhino Security Labs, Pacu allows penetration testers to exploit configuration flaws within an AWS account, using modules to easily expand its functionality. Current modules enable a range of attacks, including user privilege escalation, backdooring of IAM users, attacking vulnerable Lambda functions, and much more.

Installation

Pacu is a fairly lightweight program, as it requires only Python3.7+ and pip3 to install a handful of Python libraries.

Quick Installation

  pip3 install -U pip
  pip3 install -U pacu
  pacu

Install with Pipx

This is the preferred method when using Kali Linux as pip is no longer installed by default. This will install Pacu with the latest updates which may not be included in the official release. 

pipx install git+https://github.com/RhinoSecurityLabs/pacu.git

For a more detailed and user-friendly set of user instructions, please check out the Wiki's installation guide.

How to use Pacu's Docker image

Try in PWD

Option 1: Run with default entrypoint which directly runs Pacu

docker run -it rhinosecuritylabs/pacu:latest

Option 2: Run without default entrypoint

docker run -it --entrypoint /bin/sh rhinosecuritylabs/pacu:latest

Option 3: Run with AWS config and credentials

Warning: Running this command will mount your local AWS configuration files into the Docker container when it is launched. This means that any user with access to the container will have access to your host computer's AWS credentials.

docker run -it -v ~/.aws:/root/.aws rhinosecuritylabs/pacu:latest

Getting Started

The first time Pacu is launched, you will be prompted to start and name a new session. This session will be used to store AWS key pairs, as well as any data obtained from running various modules. You can have any number of different sessions in Pacu, each with their own sets of AWS keys and data, and resume a session at any time (though a restart is currently required to switch between sessions).

Modules require an AWS key, which grants you minimal access to an AWS environment and is comprised of an access key ID and a secret access key. To set your session's keys, use the set_keys command, and then follow the prompts to supply a key alias (nickname for reference), an AWS access key ID, an AWS secret access key, and an AWS session token (if you are using one).

If you are ever stuck, help will bring up a list of available commands.

Basic Commands in Pacu

  • list will list the available modules for the regions that were set in the current session.
  • help module_name will return the applicable help information for the specified module.
  • run module_name will run the specified module with its default parameters.
  • run module_name --regions eu-west-1,us-west-1 will run the specified module against the eu-west-1 and us-west-1 regions (for modules that support the --regions argument)

Running Pacu From the CLI

  • pacu --help will display the help menu
  • pacu --session sets the session to use for commands that require one
  • pacu --list-modules will list all modules available (does not require session)
  • pacu --pacu-help will list the pacu help window (does not require session)
  • pacu --module-name the name of a module to perform an action on, you can execute or get information on the module
  • pacu --exec execute the module provided in --module-name
  • pacu --module-info get information on the module provided in --module-name
  • pacu --data query the local SQLAlchemy database to retrieve enumerated information
  • pacu --module-args=" " supply optional module arguments to the module being executed
  • pacu --set-regions set the regions to use in the session, separate regions by a space or enter all for all regions
  • pacu --whoami get information about the current user

Pacu's Modular Power

Pacu uses a range of plug-in modules to assist an attacker in enumeration, privilege escalation, data exfiltration, service exploitation, and log manipulation within AWS environments. Contributions or ideas for new modules are welcome.

To keep pace with ongoing AWS product developments, we've designed Pacu from the ground up with extensibility in mind. A common syntax and data structure keep modules easy to build and expand on - no need to specify AWS regions or make redundant permission checks between modules. A local SQLite database is used to manage and manipulate retrieved data, minimizing API calls (and associated logs). Reporting and attack auditing is also built into the framework; Pacu assists the documentation process through command logging and exporting, helping build a timeline for the testing process.

Community

We're always happy to get bug reports in the Pacu framework itself, as well as testing and feedback on different modules, and generally, critical feedback to help refine the framework. Any support for Pacu through use, testing, improvement, or just by spreading the word, would be very much appreciated.

If you're interested in contributing directly to the Pacu Framework itself, please read our contribution guidelines for code conventions and git-flow notes.

Developing Pacu Modules

If you're interested in writing your own modules for Pacu, check out our Module Development wiki page. As you develop new capabilities please reach out to us -- we'd love to add your new modules into the core collection that comes with Pacu.

Pacu Framework Development Goals

  • Improve interface formatting
  • Database forward-migrations and version tracking
  • "Attack Playbooks" to allow for easier use of complex module execution chains
  • Colored console output
  • Module Dry-Run functionality
  • Allow use of standalone config files
  • Plugin architecture improvements

Notes

  • Pacu is officially supported in OSX and Linux.
  • Pacu is Open-Source Software and is distributed with a BSD-3-Clause License.

Submitting Requests / Bug Reports

  • Report vulnerabilities in Pacu directly to us via email: [email protected] .
  • Pacu creates error logs within each session's folder, as well as a global error log for out-of-session errors which is created in the main directory. If you can, please include these logs with your bug reports, as it will dramatically simplify the debugging process.
  • If you have a feature request, an idea, or a bug to report, please submit them here.
    • Please include a description sufficient to reproduce the bug you found, including tracebacks and reproduction steps, and check for other reports of your bug before filing a new bug report. Don't submit duplicates.

Wiki

For walkthroughs and full documentation, please visit the Pacu wiki.

Contact Us

Disclaimers, and the AWS Acceptable Use Policy

  • To the best of our knowledge Pacu's capabilities are compliant with the AWS Acceptable Use Policy, but as a flexible and modular tool, we cannot guarantee this will be true in every situation. It is entirely your responsibility to ensure that how you use Pacu is compliant with the AWS Acceptable Use Policy.
  • Depending on what AWS services you use and what your planned testing entails, you may need to review AWS Customer Support Policy for Penetration Testing before actually running Pacu against your infrastructure.
  • As with any penetration testing tool, it is your responsibility to get proper authorization before using Pacu outside of your environment.
  • Pacu is software that comes with absolutely no warranties whatsoever. By using Pacu, you take full responsibility for any and all outcomes that result.

Frequently asked questions

Is pacu free to use?

pacu is open source under the BSD-3-Clause licence. There is no licence fee and no seat count — you can self-host it or, where the project offers one, pay a vendor for a managed version instead.

What does pacu do?

The AWS exploitation framework, designed for testing the security of Amazon Web Services environments.

What is pacu written in?

pacu is primarily written in Python. Its source is publicly available at https://github.com/RhinoSecurityLabs/pacu, and it has 5,345 GitHub stars.