PurpleRidge Launches Automated AWS Account Audit to Combat Rapid Cloud Threats
In today’s hyper-connected digital landscape, cloud security has become a paramount concern for businesses of all sizes. Organizations are increasingly reliant on cloud platforms such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) to host critical applications, store sensitive data, and facilitate global operations. However, as cloud adoption accelerates, so do the opportunities for cybercriminals to exploit vulnerabilities. Recognizing this growing threat, PurpleRidge, powered by RidgeBot® from Ridge Security, has announced the launch of its Automated AWS Account Audit, a solution designed to rapidly identify and remediate security risks in AWS environments.
Recent cybersecurity research has underscored just how quickly attackers can compromise cloud infrastructure. Studies indicate that a motivated hacker can gain access to a cloud environment in as little as eight minutes—a strikingly short timeframe that emphasizes the urgency of proactive cloud security measures. In many cases, a single misconfigured setting—such as a “Public” toggle on a cloud storage bucket or a stale access key—can provide an entry point for attackers. These vulnerabilities, when left unchecked, can create pathways that expose sensitive organizational data, intellectual property, and customer information.
Beyond Basic Security Checks: The Need for Combined Risk Analysis
Traditional security audits and compliance checklists often focus on individual misconfigurations or isolated vulnerabilities. While such approaches are useful, they may fail to capture the broader context in which risks interact. Recognizing this limitation, PurpleRidge takes a holistic, risk-based approach to cloud security validation. By identifying what the company calls “Combined Risk Stories,” the platform does more than flag individual weaknesses—it demonstrates how these weaknesses can be exploited together, forming a chain of attack that could ultimately compromise sensitive data.
For example, an insecure EC2 instance combined with a misconfigured IAM policy or an exposed S3 bucket can create a direct path from a low-level guest account to full cloud administrator privileges. PurpleRidge’s audit platform visualizes these attack paths, allowing organizations to see how seemingly minor vulnerabilities can be leveraged in combination to achieve full system compromise. This approach shifts the focus from reactive patching to proactive risk mitigation, helping organizations address high-impact threats before they are exploited.
Key Features of the PurpleRidge AWS Audit
The PurpleRidge Automated AWS Account Audit is designed to provide comprehensive, actionable insights into cloud security posture. Its key features include:
- Attack Path Visualization: PurpleRidge maps out step-by-step Privilege Escalation Chains, showing the route an attacker could take from initial access to full administrative control. This visualization allows security teams to prioritize remediation based on the likelihood and impact of each attack scenario.
- Credential Exposure Detection: Stale access keys, root accounts without multi-factor authentication (MFA), and other credential weaknesses are instantly identified. Credentials remain one of the most exploited vectors in cloud attacks, and rapid detection is critical to preventing breaches.
- Data Disclosure Identification: Publicly exposed S3 buckets, overly permissive RDS snapshots, and KMS keys with broad access are common sources of data leakage. PurpleRidge scans for these risks, helping organizations secure sensitive data before it falls into the wrong hands.
- Actionable Fixes with MITRE ATT&CK Mapping: Every finding is mapped to the MITRE ATT&CK framework, providing a standardized methodology for understanding attack techniques. The platform also delivers step-by-step remediation guidance, enabling security teams to close vulnerabilities efficiently.
By combining these features, PurpleRidge not only identifies risks but also contextualizes them in terms of real-world attack scenarios, making it easier for organizations to understand and mitigate their exposure.
Addressing Modern Threats with AI-Driven Security Validation
The threat landscape for cloud environments is evolving rapidly. Cybercriminals are increasingly leveraging large language models (LLMs) and automation tools to scan the internet for exposed credentials and misconfigured resources. Publicly accessible S3 buckets, improperly configured databases, and weak IAM policies can all be targeted within minutes, sometimes by automated scripts that can exploit hundreds of vulnerable systems simultaneously.
PurpleRidge’s platform leverages RidgeBot®’s AI-driven adversarial validation capabilities to simulate these attack scenarios in a controlled and repeatable manner. This agentic AI approach allows the platform to act like an intelligent penetration tester that continuously validates the security posture of the organization’s AWS accounts. Unlike static checklists, AI-driven validation dynamically assesses complex attack paths, mimicking the behavior of advanced adversaries.
This is particularly important as organizations increasingly adopt DevOps practices and rapidly deploy cloud resources. The dynamic nature of cloud environments means that vulnerabilities can appear and disappear frequently, requiring continuous validation rather than periodic, manual audits. PurpleRidge’s automated approach ensures that security teams can stay ahead of attackers, even in fast-changing cloud environments.
Transparency and Accessibility: Free Initial Audit
Understanding that cloud security is often overlooked until a breach occurs, PurpleRidge is prioritizing transparency and accessibility. The platform offers a free initial audit to help organizations identify their most critical risks without financial commitment. This initial scan can reveal exposed credentials, misconfigurations, and potential attack paths, providing immediate insight into security posture.
For organizations that require more in-depth analysis, a flat $399 fee unlocks a comprehensive remediation report. This report includes detailed evidence-driven attack paths and actionable recommendations, allowing IT and security teams to systematically address vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.
Expert Insights from Ridge Security Leadership
Lydia Zhang, President and Co-founder of Ridge Security, emphasizes the shared responsibility of cloud security:
AWS secures the infrastructure, but the user is responsible for the security within it. A single ‘Public’ toggle or a stale access key is all an attacker needs. We provide the validation needed to close those doors.”
Her statement highlights a crucial principle in cloud security: the infrastructure provider offers a secure platform, but the security of deployed resources ultimately rests with the customer. Misconfigurations, weak credentials, and overlooked permissions are all vectors that can undermine the strong foundation provided by AWS.
Complementary Security Offerings
In addition to the AWS Account Audit, PurpleRidge also provides Automated Web Penetration Testing, designed to assess web applications against known vulnerabilities, including the OWASP Top 10. This feature ensures that organizations can maintain both infrastructure and application security, achieving a more comprehensive defense strategy. By integrating cloud and web security assessments, PurpleRidge enables organizations to adopt a unified approach to risk management, reducing gaps that could be exploited by attackers.
Ridge Security: A Trusted Cybersecurity Partner
PurpleRidge is powered by Ridge Security, a leading provider of intelligent, autonomous cybersecurity validation solutions. The company’s flagship platform, RidgeBot®, supports continuous threat exposure management programs across a variety of industries, including finance, government, telecommunications, and enterprise sectors.
Ridge Security has been recognized by industry authorities for its innovation and impact. The company was featured in Gartner’s Market Guide for Adversarial Exposure Validation and received accolades such as Top Emerging Cyber Security Company for 2025 and CRN’s Tech Elite 250 for 2025. With a network of over 400 partners worldwide, Ridge Security provides organizations with the tools, expertise, and guidance needed to proactively manage risk and enhance cyber resilience.
Why Automated Cloud Security Validation Matters
As businesses increasingly migrate to the cloud, the risks associated with misconfiguration, weak credentials, and exposed data grow exponentially. Traditional security audits, while important, often fail to capture the full complexity of cloud environments. Automated platforms like PurpleRidge provide continuous, AI-driven validation, helping organizations:
- Detect high-risk vulnerabilities before attackers can exploit them
- Visualize potential attack paths and prioritize remediation efforts
- Align security measures with recognized frameworks such as MITRE ATT&CK
- Maintain compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements
By bridging the gap between static audits and real-world attack simulations, PurpleRidge equips organizations with actionable insights and strategic guidance to safeguard their cloud infrastructure.
Conclusion
The launch of the Automated AWS Account Audit by PurpleRidge marks a significant advancement in cloud security solutions. By combining AI-driven validation, attack path visualization, credential exposure detection, and actionable remediation, the platform addresses the pressing need for proactive, comprehensive cloud security.
In a landscape where attackers can compromise an environment in minutes, organizations can no longer rely solely on reactive measures. PurpleRidge’s approach—identifying combined risk stories and providing transparent, evidence-driven guidance—enables businesses to secure their cloud environments effectively, reduce exposure to high-impact threats, and build confidence in their security posture.
For organizations looking to fortify their AWS accounts against modern threats, PurpleRidge offers an immediate path to assessment, understanding, and remediation. More information about the platform and the option to start a free audit is available at https://purpleridge.ai.
