AWS EC2 LOLBin Execution via SSM SendCommand

Description

Identifies the execution of Living Off the Land Binaries (LOLBins) or GTFOBins on EC2 instances via AWS Systems Manager (SSM) `SendCommand` API. This detection correlates AWS CloudTrail `SendCommand` events with endpoint process execution by matching SSM command IDs. While AWS redacts command parameters in CloudTrail logs, this correlation technique reveals the actual commands executed on EC2 instances. Adversaries may abuse SSM to execute malicious commands remotely without requiring SSH or RDP access, using legitimate system utilities for data exfiltration, establishing reverse shells, or lateral movement.

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: Containers ESXi IaaS Identity Provider Linux macOS Network Devices Office Suite SaaS Windows
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the 3 ATT&CK techniques it maps to.

Known benign triggers

Automated configuration management or monitoring scripts that use LOLBins via SSM for legitimate purposes. Consider excluding known automation accounts or specific command patterns.
Legitimate administrative tasks using SSM to run system utilities may trigger this rule. Review the command context, user identity, and timing to determine if the activity is authorized.

References

Links the source published beside this detection. Reference is the link the source wrote, unmodified. Class is decided by this catalogue from the host and path, not stated by the source. Cited by counts published detections citing the same resource, including this one, and the sources beneath it count the repositories this catalogue ingests, which is not the same as independent research.
Reference	Class	Cited by
gtfobins.github.io	Tool	5
hackingthe.cloud/aws/post_exploitation/run_shell_commands_on_ec2/	Unclassified	2
www.100daysofredteam.com/p/ghost-in-the-cloud-abusing-aws-ssm	Unclassified	Only this detection cites it
www.kali.org/tools/pacu/	Unclassified	Only this detection cites it
www.mitiga.io/blog/abusing-the-amazon-web-services-ssm-agent-as-a-remote-access-trojan	Unclassified	3

Detection rules

AWS EC2 LOLBin Execution via SSM SendCommand

Description

Detection logic

Detection requirements

Known benign triggers

MITRE ATT&CK mappings

References

From the source

Licence

Authorship

Detection rules