Azure AKS Service Account Token Created via TokenRequest API
Detects an identity minting a service account token via the AKS (Azure Kubernetes Service) TokenRequest API (serviceaccounts/token), excluding known AKS control-plane and platform identities. Adversaries request…
Description
Detects an identity minting a service account token via the AKS (Azure Kubernetes Service) TokenRequest API (serviceaccounts/token), excluding known AKS control-plane and platform identities. Adversaries request service account tokens from a compromised identity to impersonate a workload, move laterally, or escalate privileges within the cluster. Coverage includes workload service accounts (system:serviceaccount:*), so a compromised in-cluster token minting a token for another service account is not excluded.
Detection logic
Its licence does not clear it for publishing here
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Detection requirements
- Platform
- ContainersIaaSIdentity ProviderOffice SuiteSaaS
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the ATT&CK technique it maps to.
- Log source category
- event_index
Known benign triggers
- Controllers, CI/CD systems, and platform components legitimately request service account tokens. Baseline the requesting identities and exclude verified automation after review.
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 |
|---|---|
| github.com/inguardians/peirates | 6 |
| kubernetes.io/docs/reference/kubernetes-api/authentication-resources/token-request-v1/ | 2 |
| microsoft.github.io/Threat-Matrix-for-Kubernetes/ | 15 |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- 95db6791-8e88-47d0-81c9-531ff79c0e60
- Tagged by the source as
- Data Source: AzureData Source: Azure Platform LogsData Source: KubernetesDomain: CloudDomain: ContainersDomain: KubernetesNoise: HighPerformance: FastPlatform: AzurePlatform: KubernetesProfile: AggressiveResources: Investigation GuideRule Type: Custom Query (KQL)Tactic: Credential AccessUse Case: Threat Detection
Licence
- Published under
- Elastic License 2.0Read the licence
- Attribution
- Required
Authorship
- Written by
- Published
- Sep 20, 2026
- Version
- 3