# AWS IAM Privilege Escalation Methods

AWS IAM Privilege Escalation Methods is a Penetration Testing product. It runs in the cloud. Pricing is free.

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

Checked October 2026.

## What is AWS IAM Privilege Escalation Methods?

AWS IAM Privilege Escalation Methods documents a specific technique for escalating privileges within Amazon Web Services environments through IAM policy manipulation.

The method exploits the iam:CreatePolicyVersion permission to create new versions of existing IAM policies with custom permissions. The technique leverages the --set-as-default flag during policy version creation, which automatically sets the new version as the default without requiring the iam:SetDefaultPolicyVersion permission.

This escalation vector can potentially grant an attacker full administrator access to an AWS account by allowing them to define their own permissions through policy version manipulation. The documentation serves as a reference for understanding this specific privilege escalation pathway in AWS IAM configurations.

Tags: Red Team, AWS, Privilege Escalation

## Quick facts

- Category: [Offensive Security](https://cybersectools.com/categories/offensive-security-testing) · [Penetration Testing](https://cybersectools.com/categories/pentesting-tools)
- Deployment: Cloud
- Company size fit: Startup, SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise
- Pricing model: Free
- GitHub stars: 923
- Website: github.com

## AWS IAM Privilege Escalation Methods FAQ

### What is AWS IAM Privilege Escalation Methods?

AWS IAM Privilege Escalation Methods is a product in the Penetration Testing category. It covers Red Team, AWS and Privilege Escalation.

### What is the pricing for AWS IAM Privilege Escalation Methods?

AWS IAM Privilege Escalation Methods is free. Download and setup instructions are at https://github.com/RhinoSecurityLabs/AWS-IAM-Privilege-Escalation/.

### What are alternatives to AWS IAM Privilege Escalation Methods?

Alternatives to AWS IAM Privilege Escalation Methods listed on CybersecTools:

1. [PT Dephaze](https://cybersectools.com/tools/pt-dephaze) - Agentless automated pentest platform for continuous infrastructure security testing. (Commercial)
2. [Managed Autonomous Pentesting (MAP)](https://cybersectools.com/tools/hackurity-art-stack) - Managed continuous autonomous pentesting using payload-less exploitation and attack paths (Commercial)
3. [FireCompass AI-powered Pen Testing](https://cybersectools.com/tools/firecompass-ai-powered-pen-testing) - AI-powered automated pen testing & continuous red teaming platform (Commercial)
4. [Cyver Pentest Management Platform](https://cybersectools.com/tools/cyver-pentest-management-platform) - Pentest management platform for reporting, project mgmt & client collaboration (Commercial)
5. [Rapid7 Metasploit](https://cybersectools.com/tools/rapid7-metasploit) - Penetration testing software for simulating attacks and validating vulnerabilities (Commercial)

Compare all AWS IAM Privilege Escalation Methods alternatives at [https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/aws-iam-privilege-escalation-methods](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/aws-iam-privilege-escalation-methods)

### What deployment and organization size does AWS IAM Privilege Escalation Methods fit?

AWS IAM Privilege Escalation Methods is available as a cloud service. It is listed for startups, small businesses, mid-market companies and enterprises. It is free.

## Compare AWS IAM Privilege Escalation Methods with similar solutions

- [AWS IAM Privilege Escalation Methods vs PT Dephaze](https://cybersectools.com/compare/aws-iam-privilege-escalation-methods-vs-pt-dephaze)
- [AWS IAM Privilege Escalation Methods vs Managed Autonomous Pentesting (MAP)](https://cybersectools.com/compare/aws-iam-privilege-escalation-methods-vs-hackurity-art-stack)
- [AWS IAM Privilege Escalation Methods vs FireCompass AI-powered Pen Testing](https://cybersectools.com/compare/aws-iam-privilege-escalation-methods-vs-firecompass-ai-powered-pen-testing)

All alternatives to AWS IAM Privilege Escalation Methods: [/alternatives/aws-iam-privilege-escalation-methods](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/aws-iam-privilege-escalation-methods)

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