AWS WAF Rule or Rule Group Deletion
Identifies the deletion of an AWS Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule or rule group. WAF rules and rule groups enforce critical protections for web applications by filtering malicious HTTP requests, blocking known…
Description
Identifies the deletion of an AWS Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule or rule group. WAF rules and rule groups enforce critical protections for web applications by filtering malicious HTTP requests, blocking known attack patterns, and enforcing access controls. Deleting these rules—even briefly—can expose applications to SQL injection, cross-site scripting, credential-stuffing bots, or targeted exploitation. Adversaries who have gained sufficient permissions may remove WAF protections as part of a broader defense evasion or impact strategy, often preceding data theft or direct application compromise.
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 SuiteWindows
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the 2 ATT&CK techniques it maps to.
- Log source category
- event_index
Known benign triggers
- Routine WAF maintenance, rule lifecycle updates, or temporary rule removals during application changes may trigger this alert. Validate whether the principal, source IP, automation role, or deployment pipeline is expected to modify WAF rules. Confirm that the deletion corresponds to a documented change or deployment before taking action.
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 |
|---|---|
| docs.aws.amazon.com/waf/latest/APIReference/API_waf_DeleteRule.html | Only this detection cites it |
| docs.aws.amazon.com/waf/latest/APIReference/API_waf_DeleteRuleGroup.html | Only this detection cites it |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- 5beaebc1-cc13-4bfc-9949-776f9e0dc318
- Tagged by the source as
- Data Source: Amazon Web ServicesData Source: AWSData Source: AWS CloudTrailDomain: CloudNoise: LowPerformance: NormalPlatform: AWSResources: Investigation GuideRule Type: Custom Query (KQL)Service: AWS WAFTactic: Defense Evasion
Licence
- Published under
- Elastic License 2.0Read the licence
- Attribution
- Required
Authorship
- Written by
- Published
- Sep 20, 2026
- Version
- 3