Kubernetes Pod Exec with Curl or Wget to HTTPS
Detects pod or attach exec API calls where the decoded request query implies curl or wget fetching an https URL. Attackers with permission to exec into workloads often run one-liners to stage tooling, pull scripts or…
Description
Detects pod or attach exec API calls where the decoded request query implies curl or wget fetching an https URL. Attackers with permission to exec into workloads often run one-liners to stage tooling, pull scripts or binaries, or exfiltrate data over HTTPS—activity that should be rare compared to shells, debuggers, or expected health checks. The rule decodes the audit requestURI, reconstructs a readable command string from repeated command parameters, and applies noise filters for common cluster health and OIDC/JWKS endpoints so benign automation is less likely to alert.
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
- ContainersESXiLinuxmacOSNetwork DevicesWindows
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the 2 ATT&CK techniques it maps to.
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 |
|---|---|
| attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1105/ | 10from 2 sources |
| attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1609/ | 6 |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- c9d4e8f1-2a3b-4c5d-8e9f-0a1b2c3d4e5f
- Tagged by the source as
- Data Source: KubernetesData Source: Kubernetes API Server Audit LogsDomain: CloudDomain: ContainersDomain: KubernetesNoise: UnknownPerformance: NormalPlatform: KubernetesProfile: RecommendedResources: Investigation GuideRule Type: ES|QLTactic: Command and ControlTactic: ExecutionThreat: Download Tool AbuseUse Case: Threat Detection
Licence
- Published under
- Elastic License 2.0Read the licence
- Attribution
- Required
Authorship
- Written by
- Published
- Sep 20, 2026
- Version
- 3