AWS Backup Resource Enumeration via Long-Term Access Key
Detects enumeration of AWS Backup resources using long-term IAM access keys (AKIA* prefix). AWS Backup protects EC2 instances, EBS volumes, RDS databases, DynamoDB tables, EFS file systems, and S3 buckets. An…
Description
Detects enumeration of AWS Backup resources using long-term IAM access keys (AKIA* prefix). AWS Backup protects EC2 instances, EBS volumes, RDS databases, DynamoDB tables, EFS file systems, and S3 buckets. An adversary who obtains long-term access keys may enumerate backup vaults, backup plans, and protected resources as a precursor to ransomware. Identifying which resources have recent backups (indicating high-value data) and what vault access policies can be modified to delete or corrupt the backups before encrypting the primary data.
Detection logic
Its licence does not clear it for publishing here
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Detection requirements
- Platform
- IaaSIdentity ProviderOffice SuiteSaaS
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the ATT&CK technique it maps to.
- Log source category
- event_index
Known benign triggers
- Automated monitoring tools or compliance audit scripts using long-term IAM keys to inventory backup coverage will trigger this rule. Migrate automation to IAM roles with short-lived credentials. Long-term key usage for backup management is a security anti-pattern.
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 |
|---|---|
| docs.aws.amazon.com/aws-backup/latest/devguide/API_ListBackupVaults.html | Only this detection cites it |
| hackingthe.cloud/aws/enumeration/enumerate_services_via_aws_backup/ | Only this detection cites it |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- e71ae602-bf44-4834-a4ea-b5c87047d426
- Tagged by the source as
- Data Source: Amazon Web ServicesData Source: AWSData Source: AWS CloudTrailDomain: CloudPlatform: AWSResources: Investigation GuideRule Type: Custom Query (KQL)Service: AWS BackupTactic: Discovery
Licence
- Published under
- Elastic License 2.0Read the licence
- Attribution
- Required
Authorship
- Written by
- Published
- Sep 20, 2026
- Version
- 2