Elastic Security Detection Rules

AWS IAM API Calls via Temporary Session Tokens

Last updated a month ago on 2025-11-12
Created 8 months ago on 2025-04-16

About

Detects sensitive AWS IAM API operations executed using temporary session credentials (access key IDs beginning with "ASIA"). Temporary credentials are commonly issued through sts:GetSessionToken, sts:AssumeRole, or AWS SSO logins and are meant for short-term use. It is unusual for legitimate users or automated processes to perform privileged IAM actions (e.g., creating users, updating policies, or enabling/disabling MFA) with session tokens. This behavior may indicate credential theft, session hijacking, or the abuse of a privileged role’s temporary credentials.
Tags
Domain: CloudData Source: AWSData Source: Amazon Web ServicesData Source: AWS CloudTrailData Source: AWS IAMData Source: AWS STSTactic: PersistenceTactic: Privilege EscalationLanguage: kuery
Severity
low
Risk Score
21
MITRE ATT&CK™

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

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

False Positive Examples
Some CI/CD pipelines or administrative users may use session tokens. Review user context, IP, and timing to validate. Console login sessions result in temporary "ASIA" credentials and can typically be ignored for this alert. This can be verified in "event.original" as "sessionCredentialFromConsole: true"
License
Elastic License v2(opens in a new tab or window)

Definition

Rule Type
New Terms Rule
Integration Pack
Prebuilt Security Detection Rules
Index Patterns
filebeat-*logs-aws.cloudtrail-*
Related Integrations

aws(opens in a new tab or window)

Query
event.dataset: aws.cloudtrail
    and event.provider: ("iam.amazonaws.com")
    and event.outcome: "success"
    and aws.cloudtrail.user_identity.type: "IAMUser"
    and aws.cloudtrail.user_identity.access_key_id: ASIA*
    and source.ip: *
    and not user_agent.original : "AWS Internal"

Install detection rules in Elastic Security

Detect AWS IAM API Calls via Temporary Session Tokens 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).