AWS SSM Session Started to EC2 Instance
Identifies the first occurrence of an AWS user or role establishing a session via SSM to an EC2 instance. Adversaries may use AWS Session Manager to establish a session to an EC2 instance to execute commands on the…
Description
Identifies the first occurrence of an AWS user or role establishing a session via SSM to an EC2 instance. Adversaries may use AWS Session Manager to establish a session to an EC2 instance to execute commands on the instance. This can be used to gain access to the instance and perform actions such as privilege escalation.
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
- ESXiIaaSIdentity ProviderLinuxmacOSOffice SuiteSaaSWindows
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the ATT&CK technique it maps to.
- Log source category
- event_index
Known benign triggers
- Legitimate use of AWS Session Manager to establish a session to an EC2 instance.
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 |
|---|---|
| cloud.hacktricks.xyz/pentesting-cloud/aws-security/aws-privilege-escalation/aws-ssm-privesc | 2 |
| docs.aws.amazon.com/systems-manager/latest/APIReference/API_StartSession.html | Only this detection cites it |
| hackingthe.cloud/aws/post_exploitation/intercept_ssm_communications/ | Only this detection cites it |
| unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/cloud-lateral-movement-techniques | 2 |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- 804a7ac8-fc00-11ee-924b-f661ea17fbce
- Tagged by the source as
- Data Source: Amazon Web ServicesData Source: AWSData Source: AWS CloudTrailData Source: AWS EC2Data Source: AWS SSMDomain: CloudNoise: LowPerformance: NormalPlatform: AWSResources: Investigation GuideRule Type: New TermsService: AWS EC2Service: AWS SSMTactic: Lateral MovementUse Case: Threat Detection
Licence
- Published under
- Elastic License 2.0Read the licence
- Attribution
- Required
Authorship
- Written by
- Published
- Sep 20, 2026
- Version
- 3