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AWS Management Console Root Login

Elastic Detection Rules

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Summary
This rule detects successful logins to the AWS Management Console using the root user account, which has unrestricted access to all AWS resources and services. Such logins can indicate potential security incidents, especially if they are unexpected or originate from unfamiliar locations. The rule utilizes CloudTrail log data to identify login events specifically associated with the root user identity type. Given the sensitivity of the root account, AWS best practices suggest minimizing its use to essential administrative tasks and employing strong security measures like multi-factor authentication. The rule generates alerts on successful root logins and recommends investigation into the circumstances surrounding these logins. The alert encompasses both a comprehensive triage and analysis section, emphasizing investigations into recent activity tied to the root user, including review of other alerts, abnormal geolocations, and confirming logged activities with account owners. It provides guidance on proper response measures, which should include incident response initiation and potential mitigation steps. False positives can arise from legitimate changes in access management policies, hence a thorough validation process should be implemented to discern risk appropriately. Overall, the rule aims to bolster AWS account security by ensuring that root user activities are closely monitored and are promptly analyzed.
Categories
  • Cloud
  • AWS
Data Sources
  • Cloud Storage
  • Application Log
  • Network Traffic
ATT&CK Techniques
  • T1078
Created: 2020-06-11