Kubernetes User Exec into Pod

Elastic Stack Serverless Security

This rule detects a user attempt to establish a shell session into a pod using the exec command. Using the exec command in a pod allows a user to establish a temporary shell session and execute any process/commands in the pod. An adversary may call bash to gain a persistent interactive shell which will allow access to any data the pod has permissions to, including secrets.

Rule type: query

Rule indices:

• logs-kubernetes.*

Severity: medium

Risk score: 47

Runs every: 5m

Searches indices from: None (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://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/debug/debug-application/debug-running-pod/
• https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/debug/debug-application/get-shell-running-container/

Tags:

• Elastic
• Kubernetes
• Continuous Monitoring
• Execution

Version: 100

Rule authors:

• Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License v2

kubernetes.audit.objectRef.resource:"pods"
  and kubernetes.audit.objectRef.subresource:"exec"

Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM

• Tactic:

  • Name: Execution
  • ID: TA0002
  • Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0002/

• Technique:

  • Name: Container Administration Command
  • ID: T1609
  • Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1609/