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Kubernetes AWS detect suspicious kubectl calls

The following analytic detects anonymous and unauthenticated requests to a Kubernetes cluster. It identifies this behavior by monitoring API calls from users who have not provided any token or password in their…

Description

The following analytic detects anonymous and unauthenticated requests to a Kubernetes cluster. It identifies this behavior by monitoring API calls from users who have not provided any token or password in their request, using data from `kube_audit` logs. This activity is significant for a SOC as it indicates a severe misconfiguration, allowing unfettered access to the cluster with no traceability. If confirmed malicious, an attacker could gain access to sensitive data or control over the cluster, posing a substantial security risk.

Detection logic

Detection requirements

Log source category
kubernetes_audit

Known benign triggers

  • Kubectl calls are not malicious by nature. However source IP, verb and Object can reveal potential malicious activity, specially anonymous suspicious IPs and sensitive objects such as configmaps or secrets

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