Kubernetes Pod Exec Potential Reverse Shell

Last updated 19 days ago on 2026-04-23
Created 19 days ago on 2026-04-23

About

Flags exec into a pod when the URL-decoded command payload resembles reverse-shell or bind-shell one-liners invocation patterns. Legitimate debug sessions sometimes use similar building blocks, but together these patterns align with post-exploitation interactive access and command-and-control.
Tags
Data Source: KubernetesDomain: KubernetesUse Case: Threat DetectionTactic: ExecutionTactic: Command and ControlLanguage: esql
Severity
high
Risk Score
73
MITRE ATT&CK™

Execution (TA0002)(external, opens in a new tab or window)

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

Definition

Integration Pack
Prebuilt Security Detection Rules
Related Integrations

kubernetes(external, opens in a new tab or window)

Query
text code block:
FROM logs-kubernetes.audit_logs-* metadata _id, _index, _version | WHERE kubernetes.audit.objectRef.subresource == "exec" AND kubernetes.audit.requestURI LIKE "*command=*" | EVAL decoded_uri = URL_DECODE(kubernetes.audit.requestURI) | GROK decoded_uri "%{DATA}/exec\\?%{DATA:raw_commands}&(?:container|stdin|stdout|stderr)=%{GREEDYDATA}" | EVAL command = REPLACE(raw_commands, "command=", "") | EVAL command = REPLACE(command, "&", " ") | EVAL Esql.executed_command = REPLACE(command, "\\+", " ") | WHERE Esql.executed_command IS NOT NULL | WHERE Esql.executed_command IS NOT NULL AND command RLIKE """.*(/dev/tcp/|/dev/udp/|zsh/net/tcp|zsh/net/udp|nc\s+-e|ncat\s+-e|netcat\s+-e|nc\s.*\s-c\s|mkfifo|socat\s.*exec|socat\s.*pty|bash\s+-i\s+>&|0>&1|>&\s*/dev/tcp|import\s+socket.*connect|import\s+pty.*spawn|socket\.socket.*connect|IO::Socket::INET|fsockopen|TCPSocket\.new|/inet/tcp/).*""" AND // local service health check patterns NOT command RLIKE """.*/dev/tcp/(localhost|127\.0\.0\.1)/(8080|8443|9090|3000|5000|8888|80|443).*""" | KEEP *

Install detection rules in Elastic Security

Detect Kubernetes Pod Exec Potential Reverse Shell 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(external, opens in a new tab or window).