aws_multi_factor_authentication_disabled.yml

name: AWS Multi-Factor Authentication Disabled
id: 374832b1-3603-420c-b456-b373e24d34c0
version: 7
date: '2025-05-02'
author: Bhavin Patel, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
description: The following analytic detects attempts to disable multi-factor authentication
  (MFA) for an AWS IAM user. It leverages AWS CloudTrail logs to identify events where
  MFA devices are deleted or deactivated. This activity is significant because disabling
  MFA can indicate an adversary attempting to weaken account security, potentially
  to maintain persistence using a compromised account. If confirmed malicious, this
  action could allow attackers to retain access to the AWS environment without detection,
  posing a significant risk to the security and integrity of the cloud infrastructure.
data_source:
- AWS CloudTrail DeleteVirtualMFADevice
- AWS CloudTrail DeactivateMFADevice
search: '`cloudtrail` (eventName= DeleteVirtualMFADevice OR eventName=DeactivateMFADevice)
  | rename user_name as user
  | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime by signature dest user user_agent src vendor_account vendor_region vendor_product
  | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` | `aws_multi_factor_authentication_disabled_filter`'
how_to_implement: The Splunk AWS Add-on is required to utilize this data. The search
  requires AWS CloudTrail logs.
known_false_positives: AWS Administrators may disable MFA but it is highly unlikely
  for this event to occur without prior notice to the company
references:
- https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1621/
- https://aws.amazon.com/what-is/mfa/
drilldown_searches:
- name: View the detection results for - "$vendor_account$" and "$user$"
  search: '%original_detection_search% | search  vendor_account = "$vendor_account$"
    user = "$user$"'
  earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
  latest_offset: $info_max_time$
- name: View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$vendor_account$" and "$user$"
  search: '| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$vendor_account$",
    "$user$") starthoursago=168  | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time)
    as lastTime values(search_name) as "Search Name" values(risk_message) as "Risk
    Message" values(analyticstories) as "Analytic Stories" values(annotations._all)
    as "Annotations" values(annotations.mitre_attack.mitre_tactic) as "ATT&CK Tactics"
    by normalized_risk_object | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`'
  earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
  latest_offset: $info_max_time$
rba:
  message: User $user$ has disabled Multi-Factor authentication for AWS account
    $vendor_account$
  risk_objects:
  - field: user
    type: user
    score: 64
  threat_objects:
  - field: src
    type: ip_address
tags:
  analytic_story:
  - AWS Identity and Access Management Account Takeover
  asset_type: AWS Account
  mitre_attack_id:
  - T1556.006
  - T1586.003
  - T1621
  product:
  - Splunk Enterprise
  - Splunk Enterprise Security
  - Splunk Cloud
  security_domain: threat
tests:
- name: True Positive Test
  attack_data:
  - data: 
      https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1621/aws_mfa_disabled/cloudtrail.json
    sourcetype: aws:cloudtrail
    source: aws_cloudtrail