Azure Automation Account Created

Elastic Stack Serverless Security

Identifies when an Azure Automation account is created. Azure Automation accounts can be used to automate management tasks and orchestrate actions across systems. An adversary may create an Automation account in order to maintain persistence in their target’s environment.

Rule type: query

Rule indices:

• filebeat-*
• logs-azure*

Severity: low

Risk score: 21

Runs every: 5m

Searches indices from: now-25m (https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/common-options.html#date-math[Date Math format], see also Additional look-back time)

Maximum alerts per execution: 100

References:

• https://powerzure.readthedocs.io/en/latest/Functions/operational.html#create-backdoor
• https://github.com/hausec/PowerZure
• https://posts.specterops.io/attacking-azure-azure-ad-and-introducing-powerzure-ca70b330511a
• https://azure.microsoft.com/en-in/blog/azure-automation-runbook-management/

Tags:

• Elastic
• Cloud
• Azure
• Continuous Monitoring
• SecOps
• Identity and Access

Version: 7

Rule authors:

• Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License v2

event.dataset:azure.activitylogs and azure.activitylogs.operation_name:"MICROSOFT.AUTOMATION/AUTOMATIONACCOUNTS/WRITE" and event.outcome:(Success or success)

Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM

• Tactic:

  • Name: Persistence
  • ID: TA0003
  • Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0003/

• Technique:

  • Name: Valid Accounts
  • ID: T1078
  • Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1078/

• Tactic:

  • Name: Defense Evasion
  • ID: TA0005
  • Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/

• Technique:

  • Name: Valid Accounts
  • ID: T1078
  • Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1078/