The AWS SendSSHPublicKey detection rule is designed to monitor and alert on the invocation of the SendSSHPublicKey API call in Amazon Web Services (AWS). This API allows users to push an SSH public key to specific EC2 instances, thereby enhancing security by negating the need for persistent SSH keys. However, if poorly managed, this can pose a security risk, enabling threat actors to gain unauthorized access or establish persistence within a cloud environment. The detection logic utilizes AWS CloudTrail logs to capture relevant events related to SSH key provisioning. The Splunk query processes CloudTrail data to identify instances of the SendSSHPublicKey call, aggregates them by source IP, and enhances the data by performing DNS lookups and geographic location analysis. By correlating various attributes such as the user, account, and resource ID, security teams can identify potential misuse or abnormal patterns indicating lateral movement or exploitation attempts. This rule effectively monitors a critical component of cloud security management, aiming to mitigate risks associated with improper access configurations and enhance visibility into user activities within AWS resources.