Elastic Security Detection Rules

AWS IAM User Created Access Keys For Another User

Last updated 12 days ago on 2024-12-10
Created 6 months ago on 2024-06-13

About

An adversary with access to a set of compromised credentials may attempt to persist or escalate privileges by creating a new set of credentials for an existing user. This rule looks for use of the IAM `CreateAccessKey` API operation to create new programmatic access keys for another IAM user.
Tags
Domain: CloudData Source: AWSData Source: Amazon Web ServicesData Source: AWS IAMUse Case: Identity and Access AuditTactic: Privilege EscalationTactic: Persistence
Severity
medium
Risk Score
47
MITRE ATT&CK™

Persistence (TA0003)(opens in a new tab or window)

↳ Account Manipulation (T1098)(opens in a new tab or window)

Privilege Escalation (TA0004)(opens in a new tab or window)

↳ Account Manipulation (T1098)(opens in a new tab or window)

False Positive Examples
While this can be normal behavior, it should be investigated to ensure validity. Verify whether the user identity should be using the IAM `CreateAccessKey` for the targeted user.
License
Elastic License v2(opens in a new tab or window)

Definition

Integration Pack
Prebuilt Security Detection Rules
Related Integrations

aws(opens in a new tab or window)

Query
from logs-aws.cloudtrail-* metadata _id, _version, _index
| where event.provider == "iam.amazonaws.com"
    and event.action == "CreateAccessKey"
    and event.outcome == "success"
    and user.name != user.target.name
| keep
    @timestamp,
    cloud.region,
    event.provider,
    event.action,
    event.outcome,
    user.name,
    source.address,
    user.target.name,
    user_agent.original,
    aws.cloudtrail.request_parameters,
    aws.cloudtrail.response_elements,
    aws.cloudtrail.user_identity.arn,
    aws.cloudtrail.user_identity.type

Install detection rules in Elastic Security

Detect AWS IAM User Created Access Keys For Another User 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).