AWS Service Quotas Multi-Region `GetServiceQuota` Requests

Last updated a month ago on 2024-10-09
Created 3 months ago on 2024-08-26

About

Identifies when a single AWS resource is making `GetServiceQuota` API calls for the EC2 service quota L-1216C47A in more than 10 regions within a 30-second window. Quota code L-1216C47A represents on-demand instances which are used by adversaries to deploy malware and mine cryptocurrency. This could indicate a potential threat actor attempting to discover the AWS infrastructure across multiple regions using compromised credentials or a compromised instance.
Tags
Domain: CloudData Source: AWSData Source: Amazon Web ServicesData Source: AWS Service QuotasUse Case: Threat DetectionTactic: Discovery
Severity
low
Risk Score
21
MITRE ATT&CK™

Discovery (TA0007)(opens in a new tab or window)

License
Elastic License v2(opens in a new tab or window)

Definition

Integration Pack
Prebuilt Security Detection Rules
Related Integrations

(opens in a new tab or window)

Query
from logs-aws.cloudtrail-*

// filter for GetServiceQuota API calls
| where event.dataset == "aws.cloudtrail" and event.provider == "servicequotas.amazonaws.com" and event.action == "GetServiceQuota"

// truncate the timestamp to a 30-second window
| eval target_time_window = DATE_TRUNC(30 seconds, @timestamp)

// pre-process the request parameters to extract the service code and quota code
| dissect aws.cloudtrail.request_parameters "{%{?service_code_key}=%{service_code}, %{?quota_code_key}=%{quota_code}}"

// filter for EC2 service quota L-1216C47A (vCPU on-demand instances)
| where service_code == "ec2" and quota_code == "L-1216C47A"

// keep only the relevant fields
| keep target_time_window, aws.cloudtrail.user_identity.arn, cloud.region, service_code, quota_code

// count the number of unique regions and total API calls within the 30-second window
| stats region_count = count_distinct(cloud.region), window_count = count(*) by target_time_window, aws.cloudtrail.user_identity.arn

// filter for resources making DescribeInstances API calls in more than 10 regions within the 30-second window
| where region_count >= 10 and window_count >= 10

// sort the results by time windows in descending order
| sort target_time_window desc

Install detection rules in Elastic Security

Detect AWS Service Quotas Multi-Region `GetServiceQuota` Requests in the Elastic Security detection engine by installing this rule into your Elastic Stack.

To setup this rule, check out the installation guide for Prebuilt Security Detection Rules(opens in a new tab or window).