AWS IAM Privilege Escalation Methods vs Core Security Cobalt Strike: 2026 Comparison

AWS IAM Privilege Escalation Methods: Documentation of an AWS IAM privilege escalation technique that exploits the iam:CreatePolicyVersion permission to gain elevated access through policy manipulation..

Core Security Cobalt Strike: Post-exploitation threat emulation platform for red team operations. built by Core Security. headquartered in United States. Core capabilities include Beacon post-exploitation payload supporting reconnaissance, command execution, and payload deployment, Malleable C2 profiles to customize network indicators and simulate APT behavior, Covert communication over HTTP, HTTPS, DNS, TCP, and SMB named pipes..

Both serve the Offensive Security market but differ in approach, feature depth, and target audience.