Kubelet API Connection Attempt to Internal IP
Detects network connection attempts to the Kubernetes Kubelet API port (10250/10255) on internal IP ranges from Linux hosts. This rule focuses on common request and scripting utilities (curl, wget, python, node,…
Description
Detects network connection attempts to the Kubernetes Kubelet API port (10250/10255) on internal IP ranges from Linux hosts. This rule focuses on common request and scripting utilities (curl, wget, python, node, etc.) and executions from world-writable or ephemeral paths (/tmp, /var/tmp, /dev/shm, /var/run), which are frequently abused during container and cluster lateral movement.
Detection logic
Its licence does not clear it for publishing here
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Detection requirements
- Platform
- ContainersESXiIaaSLinuxmacOSWindows
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
- Legitimate node health checks, diagnostics, or in-cluster agents may access the Kubelet API on port 10250. Validate the calling process, command line, and whether the destination is the local node or another node.
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/T1021/ | Only this detection cites it |
| kubernetes.io/docs/reference/command-line-tools-reference/kubelet/ | Only this detection cites it |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- 9f420cca-cb27-44db-a13d-c43c7b48e04a
- Tagged by the source as
- Data Source: Auditd ManagerData Source: Elastic DefendDomain: ContainersDomain: EndpointDomain: KubernetesNoise: MediumOS: LinuxPerformance: NormalPlatform: LinuxResources: Investigation GuideRule Type: Event Correlation (EQL)Tactic: DiscoveryTactic: 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