Suspicious Instance Metadata Service (IMDS) API Command Line Execution
This rule identifies various tools/scripts performing command line execution attempting to access the cloud service provider's instance metadata service (IMDS) API endpoint, which can be used to retrieve sensitive…
Description
This rule identifies various tools/scripts performing command line execution attempting to access the cloud service provider's instance metadata service (IMDS) API endpoint, which can be used to retrieve sensitive instance-specific information such as instance ID, public IP address, and even temporary security credentials if roles are assumed by that instance.
Detection logic
Its licence does not clear it for publishing here
Sunturai publishes a detection's own text where the licence it arrived under has been reviewed and permits it, and Elastic License 2.0 has not. The query as its source wrote it, its canonical form and the hash that pins this revision are in the workspace record.
Detection requirements
- Platform
- ContainersESXiIaaSIdentity ProviderLinuxmacOSNetwork DevicesOffice SuiteSaaSWindows
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the 4 ATT&CK techniques it maps to.
- Log source category
- event_index
MITRE ATT&CK mappings
0 exclusive techniques.This is coverage no other published rule has; it is not this rule's total technique count.
References
| Reference | Cited by |
|---|---|
| hackingthe.cloud/aws/general-knowledge/intro_metadata_service/ | 4 |
| www.wiz.io/blog/imds-anomaly-hunting-zero-day | 2 |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- ecc0cd54-608e-11ef-ab6d-f661ea17fbce
- Tagged by the source as
- Data Source: Auditd ManagerData Source: CrowdstrikeData Source: Elastic DefendData Source: Elastic EndgameData Source: Microsoft Defender XDRData Source: SentinelOneData Source: SysmonData Source: Windows Security Event LogsDomain: CloudDomain: EndpointNoise: HighOS: LinuxOS: macOSOS: WindowsPerformance: NormalPlatform: LinuxPlatform: macOSPlatform: WindowsProfile: AggressiveResources: Investigation GuideRule Type: Event Correlation (EQL)Tactic: Credential AccessThreat: IMDS Credential TheftUse Case: Threat Detection
Licence
- Published under
- Elastic License 2.0Read the licence
- Attribution
- Required
Authorship
- Written by
- Published
- Sep 20, 2026
- Version
- 3