Potential Kubeletctl Execution
Detects the execution of kubeletctl on Linux hosts. Kubeletctl is a command-line tool that can be used to interact with the Kubelet API directly, simplifying access to Kubelet endpoints that can be used for discovery…
Description
Detects the execution of kubeletctl on Linux hosts. Kubeletctl is a command-line tool that can be used to interact with the Kubelet API directly, simplifying access to Kubelet endpoints that can be used for discovery and, in some cases, lateral movement within Kubernetes environments.
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 SuiteSaaSWindows
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the 3 ATT&CK techniques it maps to.
- Log source category
- event_index
Known benign triggers
- Administrators or developers may execute kubeletctl during legitimate troubleshooting or incident response to validate Kubelet API connectivity or enumerate pods. Confirm the user/session and change window before escalating.
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/cyberark/kubeletctl | 2 |
| www.cyberark.com/resources/threat-research-blog/using-kubelet-client-to-attack-the-kubernetes-cluster | 8 |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- f7a131f8-44b7-4957-99a4-e6c54d93d816
- Tagged by the source as
- Data Source: Auditd ManagerData Source: Elastic DefendDomain: ContainersDomain: EndpointDomain: KubernetesNoise: UnknownOS: LinuxPerformance: NormalPlatform: LinuxResources: Investigation GuideRule Type: Event Correlation (EQL)Tactic: DiscoveryTactic: ExecutionUse Case: Threat Detection
Licence
- Published under
- Elastic License 2.0Read the licence
- Attribution
- Required
Authorship
- Written by
- Published
- Sep 20, 2026
- Version
- 3