AWS CloudTrail GuardDuty Detector Deleted or Disabled via UpdateDetector

title: AWS CloudTrail GuardDuty Detector Deleted or Disabled via UpdateDetector
id: dda70786-7f8c-4143-bc96-4888e4a4bde4
status: experimental
description: This rule flags successful GuardDuty detector removal or disabling by monitoring CloudTrail events with eventSource guardduty.amazonaws.com and eventName DeleteDetector or UpdateDetector (with requestParameters.enable set to false). Attackers may attempt to impair detection by stopping GuardDuty monitoring and causing findings to be lost after deletion. The rule relies on CloudTrail records containing eventSource, eventName, requestParameters.enable, and a successful errorCode/SUCCESS indicator. Analysts should validate the initiating user identity to confirm the change is legitimate.
references:
  - https://docs.aws.amazon.com/guardduty/latest/APIReference/API_DeleteDetector.html
  - https://docs.aws.amazon.com/guardduty/latest/APIReference/API_UpdateDetector.html
  - https://docs.aws.amazon.com/guardduty/latest/ug/guardduty_suspend-disable.html
  - https://docs.datadoghq.com/security/default_rules/719-39f-9cd/
  - https://docs.prismacloud.io/en/enterprise-edition/policy-reference/aws-policies/aws-general-policies/ensure-aws-guardduty-detector-is-enabled
  - https://docs.stellarcyber.ai/5.2.x/Using/ML/Alert-Rule-Based-Potentially_Malicious_AWS_Activity.html
  - https://github.com/Azure/Azure-Sentinel/blob/master/Solutions/Amazon%20Web%20Services/Analytic%20Rules/AWS_GuardDutyDisabled.yaml
  - https://github.com/elastic/detection-rules/blob/main/rules/integrations/aws/defense_evasion_guardduty_detector_deletion.toml
  - https://help.fortinet.com/fsiem/Public_Resource_Access/7_4_0/rules/PH_RULE_AWS_GuardDuty_Detector_Deletion.htm
  - https://research.splunk.com/sources/5d8bd475-c8bc-4447-b27f-efa508728b90/
  - https://suktech24.com/2025/07/17/aws-threat-detection-rule-guardduty-detector-disabled-or-suspended/
  - https://www.atomicredteam.io/atomic-red-team/atomics/T156001#atomic-test-46---aws---guardduty-suspension-or-deletion
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/cloud/aws/cloudtrail/aws_cloudtrail_guardduty_detector_deleted_or_updated.yml
author: suktech24, Huntrule Team
date: 2025-11-27
tags:
  - attack.defense-impairment
  - attack.t1685
  - attack.t1685.002
logsource:
  product: aws
  service: cloudtrail
detection:
  selection_event_source:
    eventSource: guardduty.amazonaws.com
  selection_action_delete:
    eventName: DeleteDetector
  selection_action_update:
    eventName: UpdateDetector
    requestParameters.enable: "false"
  selection_status_success:
    errorCode: Success
  selection_status_null:
    errorCode: null
  condition: selection_event_source and 1 of selection_action_* and 1 of selection_status_*
falsepositives:
  - Legitimate detector deletion by an admin (e.g., during account decommissioning).
  - Temporary disablement for troubleshooting (verify via change management tickets).
  - Automated deployment tools (e.g. Terraform) managing GuardDuty state.
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: d2656e78-c069-4571-8220-9e0ab5913f19
    type: derived