Potential Impersonation Attempt via Kubectl
This rule detects potential impersonation attempts via the "kubectl" command in Linux and macOS environments. It identifies process events where "kubectl" is executed with arguments that suggest an attempt to…
Description
This rule detects potential impersonation attempts via the "kubectl" command in Linux and macOS environments. It identifies process events where "kubectl" is executed with arguments that suggest an attempt to impersonate another user or group, such as using "--kubeconfig", "--token", "--as", or "--as-group". This could indicate an adversary trying to gain unauthorized access or escalate privileges within a Kubernetes cluster. If this rule is triggered, in conjunction with rules related to secret access or kubeconfig file discovery, it may indicate a potential impersonation attempt.
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.
No references are available for this detection.
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- 3c6685eb-9eaa-43a4-be1b-a7f9f1f5e63d
- Tagged by the source as
- Data Source: Auditd ManagerData Source: Elastic DefendData Source: Elastic Defend for ContainersData Source: Elastic EndgameData Source: SentinelOneDomain: ContainersDomain: EndpointDomain: KubernetesNoise: HighOS: LinuxOS: macOSPerformance: NormalPlatform: KubernetesPlatform: LinuxPlatform: macOSProfile: AggressiveResources: Investigation GuideRule Type: Event Correlation (EQL)Tactic: Defense EvasionTactic: DiscoveryUse Case: Threat Detection
Licence
- Published under
- Elastic License 2.0Read the licence
- Attribution
- Required
Authorship
- Written by
- Published
- Sep 20, 2026
- Version
- 3