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AWS STS GetSessionToken Abuse

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AWS STS GetSessionToken Abuse

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Identifies the suspicious use of GetSessionToken. Tokens could be created and used by attackers to move laterally and escalate privileges.

Rule type: query

Rule indices:

filebeat-*
logs-aws*

Severity: low

Risk score: 21

Runs every: 5 minutes

Searches indices from: now-6m (Date Math format, see also Additional look-back time)

Maximum alerts per execution: 100

References:

https://docs.aws.amazon.com/STS/latest/APIReference/API_GetSessionToken.html

Tags:

Elastic
Cloud
AWS
Continuous Monitoring
SecOps
Identity and Access

Version: 101 (version history)

Added (Elastic Stack release): 7.16.0

Last modified (Elastic Stack release): 8.6.0

Rule authors: Austin Songer

Rule license: Elastic License v2

Potential false positives

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GetSessionToken may be done by a system or network administrator. Verify whether the user identity, user agent, and/or hostname should be making changes in your environment. GetSessionToken from unfamiliar users or hosts should be investigated. If known behavior is causing false positives, it can be exempted from the rule.

Investigation guide

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Rule query

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event.dataset:aws.cloudtrail and event.provider:sts.amazonaws.com and
event.action:GetSessionToken and
aws.cloudtrail.user_identity.type:IAMUser and event.outcome:success

Threat mapping

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Framework: MITRE ATT&CK^TM

Tactic:
- Name: Privilege Escalation
- ID: TA0004
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0004/
Technique:
- Name: Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism
- ID: T1548
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1548/
Tactic:
- Name: Lateral Movement
- ID: TA0008
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0008/
Technique:
- Name: Use Alternate Authentication Material
- ID: T1550
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1550/

Rule version history

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Version 101 (8.6.0 release)

Formatting only

Version 100 (8.5.0 release)

Formatting only

Version 3 (8.4.0 release)

Updated query, changed from:

event.dataset:aws.cloudtrail and event.provider:sts.amazonaws.com and
event.action:GetSessionToken and
aws.cloudtrail.user_identity.type:IAMUser and event.outcome:success

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