AWS Exfiltration via EC2 Snapshot
The following analytic detects a series of AWS API calls related to EC2 snapshots within a short time window, indicating potential exfiltration via EC2 Snapshot modifications. It leverages AWS CloudTrail logs to…
Description
The following analytic detects a series of AWS API calls related to EC2 snapshots within a short time window, indicating potential exfiltration via EC2 Snapshot modifications. It leverages AWS CloudTrail logs to identify actions such as creating, describing, and modifying snapshot attributes. This activity is significant as it may indicate an attacker attempting to exfiltrate data by sharing EC2 snapshots externally. If confirmed malicious, the attacker could gain access to sensitive information stored in the snapshots, leading to data breaches and potential compliance violations.
Detection logic
Detection requirements
- Platform
- IaaSOffice SuiteSaaS
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the ATT&CK technique it maps to.
Known benign triggers
- It is possible that an AWS admin has legitimately shared a snapshot with an other account for a specific purpose. Please check any recent change requests filed in your organization.
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 |
|---|---|
| bleemb.medium.com/data-exfiltration-with-native-aws-s3-features-c94ae4d13436 | 4 |
| docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/APIReference/API_ModifySnapshotAttribute.html | 4from 2 sources |
| labs.nettitude.com/blog/how-to-exfiltrate-aws-ec2-data/ | 7 |
| stratus-red-team.cloud/attack-techniques/list/ | Only this detection cites it |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- ac90b339-13fc-4f29-a18c-4abbba1f2171
- Tagged by the source as
- Data ExfiltrationSuspicious Cloud Instance ActivitiesEC2 SnapshotcloudSplunk CloudSplunk EnterpriseSplunk Enterprise Securitythreat
Licence
- Published under
- Apache License 2.0Read the licence
- Attribution
- Required
- Obtained under
- Apache-2.0Read the origin licence
Authorship
- Written by
- Published
- Aug 26, 2026
- Version
- 1