pacu

Exploit AWS misconfigurations for privilege escalation and persistence.

15|1|Updated Feb 12, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/AeonDave/malskill --skill pacu
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: pacu
Source: https://github.com/AeonDave/malskill/tree/main/offensive-tools/cloud/pacu
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/AeonDave/malskill --skill pacu

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

This Skill addresses the need for comprehensive security auditing and offensive testing within AWS environments, helping to identify and exploit misconfigurations.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • AWS Exploitation: Provides a framework for enumerating, escalating privileges, pivoting, and maintaining persistence in AWS accounts.
  • Security Auditing: Aids in identifying vulnerabilities and misconfigurations in AWS environments.
  • Use Case: During an AWS red-team engagement, use Pacu to discover overly permissive IAM roles and then leverage them to gain broader access to sensitive data or services.

Quick Start

Install pacu using pip and then run the pacu command to begin your AWS exploitation.

Frequently Asked Questions about pacu

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I exploit AWS misconfigurations during a security assessment?

To exploit AWS misconfigurations, you can use an AWS exploitation framework to enumerate resources, escalate privileges, and maintain persistence within target accounts. This framework provides modular capabilities to systematically identify and leverage overly permissive IAM roles.

What is AWS privilege escalation and how does an auditing framework help?

AWS privilege escalation involves gaining higher access permissions by targeting misconfigured IAM roles or policies. An AWS exploitation framework facilitates this by providing specific modules designed to enumerate permissions and automatically identify exploitable escalation paths within the environment.

How do I run AWS exploitation modules using Python?

To run AWS exploitation modules, you need Python 3.6 or higher and the pacu library installed. You can install the library using pip and then execute the framework command to load modules and begin operations against your target AWS environment.

Can I use this framework for data exfiltration and persistence in AWS?

Yes, this AWS exploitation framework is explicitly designed to facilitate data exfiltration and establish persistence within compromised accounts. It provides red teams with the necessary modules to pivot through environments and maintain access to sensitive data or services.

What is the best way to identify overly permissive IAM roles in AWS?

The best way to identify overly permissive IAM roles during a red-team engagement is to use an AWS exploitation framework. It automates the enumeration of your AWS environment and helps discover roles with excessive permissions that can be leveraged for broader access.