Techniques › T1578.001 › AN1187
AN1187 Analytic 1187
IaaS · attack.mitre.org · ATT&CK Enterprise v19.2
<p>Detection focuses on correlating snapshot creation events with subsequent instance creation and mounting activities. From a defender perspective, suspicious sequences include snapshot creation by unexpected or newly created IAM users, snapshots created from sensitive volumes without preceding change-control activity, or snapshots immediately followed by mounting to unauthorized instances. Cross-referencing with user behavior, IP geolocation, and automation context helps distinguish benign backup operations from adversary-driven snapshot exploitation.</p>
- Detects
- T1578.001 Create Snapshot
- Part of
- DET0423 Detection Strategy for Modify Cloud Compute Infrastructure: Create Snapshot
Log sources and channels
Exactly as MITRE states them in x_mitre_log_source_references. Where a channel is vague, it is vague in the source; kevmap does not tidy it.
| Log source | Channel | Data component |
|---|---|---|
| AWS:CloudTrail | CreateSnapshot | DC0057 Snapshot Creation |
| AWS:CloudTrail | DescribeSnapshots | DC0062 Snapshot Metadata |
Mutable elements
Parameters MITRE marks as environment-specific. These are the knobs you are expected to tune; they are why an analytic is not a rule.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
UserContext | IAM user, service account, or role performing snapshot creation. Tuned to allowlist known backup automation services. |
TimeWindow | Frequency of snapshot creation in a defined period. Adjusted for environments with frequent automated backups. |
GeoLocation | Unusual regions or IPs from which snapshot creation API calls originate. Helps identify cross-region snapshot abuse. |
VolumeSensitivity | Tagging or classification of volumes being snapshotted. Tuned to prioritize alerts when sensitive volumes are copied. |