Cybercriminals Exploit SSRF Vulnerabilities in EC2-Hosted Sites to Steal AWS Credentials

TL;DR

Cybercriminals are exploiting Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerabilities in websites hosted on AWS EC2 instances to extract EC2 metadata, including IAM credentials, from the IMDSv1 endpoint. This targeted campaign highlights the importance of securing cloud infrastructure against such vulnerabilities.

Main Content

A targeted campaign has been identified where cybercriminals are exploiting Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerabilities in websites hosted on AWS EC2 instances. The goal of these attacks is to extract EC2 metadata, which can include sensitive Identity and Access Management (IAM) credentials from the IMDSv1 endpoint. This type of attack underscores the critical need for robust security measures in cloud environments¹.

Understanding SSRF Vulnerabilities

Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) is a security exploit where an attacker manipulates a server to access or modify information that would otherwise be inaccessible. This is similar to cross-site request forgery (CSRF), but instead of using a web client, SSRF utilizes a vulnerable server within the domain as a proxy².

• Basic SSRF: The server fetches the URL requested by the attacker and sends the response back, allowing the attacker to view the data.
• Blind SSRF: The response is not sent back to the attacker, making it harder to detect and confirm the vulnerability.

Impact on AWS EC2 Instances

In this specific campaign, attackers are targeting EC2-hosted websites to extract metadata, including IAM credentials, which can provide unauthorized access to AWS resources. This highlights the risks associated with SSRF vulnerabilities in cloud infrastructure.

Conclusion

The exploitation of SSRF vulnerabilities in EC2-hosted sites to steal AWS credentials underscores the importance of implementing robust security measures. Organizations must remain vigilant and proactive in securing their cloud environments to prevent such attacks.

Additional Resources

For further insights, check:

• BleepingComputer

References

1. Bleeping Computer (2025). “Hackers target SSRF bugs in EC2-hosted sites to steal AWS credentials”. Bleeping Computer. Retrieved 2025-04-09. ↩︎

2. Wikipedia contributors. (2025). “Server-side request forgery”. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2025-04-09. ↩︎