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  1. Frameworks
  2. >ATTACK
  3. >Execution
  4. >ATTACK-T1651
ATTACK-T1651Active

Cloud Administration Command

Statement

Adversaries may abuse cloud management services to execute commands within virtual machines. Resources such as AWS Systems Manager, Azure RunCommand, and Runbooks allow users to remotely run scripts in virtual machines by leveraging installed virtual machine agents. (Citation: AWS Systems Manager Run Command)(Citation: Microsoft Run Command)

If an adversary gains administrative access to a cloud environment, they may be able to abuse cloud management services to execute commands in the environment’s virtual machines. Additionally, an adversary that compromises a service provider or delegated administrator account may similarly be able to leverage a Trusted Relationship to execute commands in connected virtual machines.(Citation: MSTIC Nobelium Oct 2021)

Location

Tactic
Execution

Technique Details

Identifier
ATTACK-T1651
ATT&CK Page
View on MITRE

Tactics

Execution

Platforms

IaaS

Detection

Detection Strategy for Cloud Administration Command

Mitigations

Privileged Account Management: Privileged Account Management focuses on implementing policies, controls, and tools to securely manage privileged accounts (e.g., SYSTEM, root, or administrative accounts). This includes restricting access, limiting the scope of permissions, monitoring privileged account usage, and ensuring accountability through logging and auditing.This mitigation can be implemented through the following measures:

Account Permissions and Roles:

  • Implement RBAC and least privilege principles to allocate permissions securely.
  • Use tools like Active Directory Group Policies to enforce access restrictions.

Credential Security:

  • Deploy password vaulting tools like CyberArk, HashiCorp Vault, or KeePass for secure storage and rotation of credentials.
  • Enforce password policies for complexity, uniqueness, and expiration using tools like Microsoft Group Policy Objects (GPO).

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA):

  • Enforce MFA for all privileged accounts using Duo Security, Okta, or Microsoft Azure AD MFA.

Privileged Access Management (PAM):

  • Use PAM solutions like CyberArk, BeyondTrust, or Thycotic to manage, monitor, and audit privileged access.

Auditing and Monitoring:

  • Integrate activity monitoring into your SIEM (e.g., Splunk or QRadar) to detect and alert on anomalous privileged account usage.

Just-In-Time Access:

  • Deploy JIT solutions like Azure Privileged Identity Management (PIM) or configure ephemeral roles in AWS and GCP to grant time-limited elevated permissions.

Tools for Implementation

Privileged Access Management (PAM):

  • CyberArk, BeyondTrust, Thycotic, HashiCorp Vault.

Credential Management:

  • Microsoft LAPS (Local Admin Password Solution), Password Safe, HashiCorp Vault, KeePass.

Multi-Factor Authentication:

  • Duo Security, Okta, Microsoft Azure MFA, Google Authenticator.

Linux Privilege Management:

  • sudo configuration, SELinux, AppArmor.

Just-In-Time Access:

  • Azure Privileged Identity Management (PIM), AWS IAM Roles with session constraints, GCP Identity-Aware Proxy.

No cross-framework mappings available

← Back to Execution
Execution45 controls
ATTACK-T1047Windows Management InstrumentationATTACK-T1053Scheduled Task/JobATTACK-T1053.002AtATTACK-T1053.003CronATTACK-T1053.005Scheduled TaskATTACK-T1053.006Systemd TimersATTACK-T1053.007Container Orchestration JobATTACK-T1059Command and Scripting InterpreterATTACK-T1059.001PowerShellATTACK-T1059.002AppleScriptATTACK-T1059.003Windows Command ShellATTACK-T1059.004Unix ShellATTACK-T1059.005Visual BasicATTACK-T1059.006PythonATTACK-T1059.007JavaScriptATTACK-T1059.008Network Device CLIATTACK-T1059.009Cloud APIATTACK-T1059.010AutoHotKey & AutoITATTACK-T1059.011LuaATTACK-T1059.012Hypervisor CLIATTACK-T1059.013Container CLI/APIATTACK-T1072Software Deployment ToolsATTACK-T1106Native APIATTACK-T1129Shared ModulesATTACK-T1203Exploitation for Client ExecutionATTACK-T1204User ExecutionATTACK-T1204.001Malicious LinkATTACK-T1204.002Malicious FileATTACK-T1204.003Malicious ImageATTACK-T1204.004Malicious Copy and PasteATTACK-T1204.005Malicious LibraryATTACK-T1559Inter-Process CommunicationATTACK-T1559.001Component Object ModelATTACK-T1559.002Dynamic Data ExchangeATTACK-T1559.003XPC ServicesATTACK-T1569System ServicesATTACK-T1569.001LaunchctlATTACK-T1569.002Service ExecutionATTACK-T1569.003SystemctlATTACK-T1609Container Administration CommandATTACK-T1648Serverless ExecutionATTACK-T1651Cloud Administration CommandATTACK-T1674Input InjectionATTACK-T1675ESXi Administration CommandATTACK-T1677Poisoned Pipeline Execution