Azure Activity Logs: Kubernetes ClusterRole/Role Write, Delete, Bind, or Escalate Changes
Alerts on Azure Kubernetes RBAC Role/ClusterRole writes, deletions, bind, or escalation actions in activity logs.
FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v5
- Product
- azure
- Service
- activitylogs
- Author
- Austin Songer @austinsonger (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2021-08-07
- Updated
- 2026-07-31
ATT&CK techniques
ImpactRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
What it detects
This rule flags Azure Activity Log events where Kubernetes RBAC ClusterRoles/Roles are modified via write, delete, bind action, or escalate action operations. Such changes matter because they can alter permissions and grant elevated access within connected Kubernetes clusters. The detection relies on Azure Activity Logs operationName values that specifically indicate RBAC authorization updates.
Reporting behind it
- learn.microsoft.comhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/role-based-access-control/resource-provider-operations#microsoftkubernetes
- microsoft.comhttps://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2021/03/23/secure-containerized-environments-with-updated-threat-matrix-for-kubernetes/
- microsoft.comhttps://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2020/04/02/attack-matrix-kubernetes/
- medium.comhttps://medium.com/mitre-engenuity/att-ck-for-containers-now-available-4c2359654bf1
- github.comhttps://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/cloud/azure/activity_logs/azure_kubernetes_role_access.yml
Changelog
v5- v5Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v4Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v3Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v2Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v1No changelog recorded for this version.2026-07-30
Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.
azure-activity-logs-kubernetes-rbac-roles-clusterroles-modified-or-deleted-818fee0c
title: "Azure Activity Logs: Kubernetes ClusterRole/Role Write, Delete, Bind, or Escalate Changes"
id: 4869aa2c-48fd-4968-9b21-4ca3e86ccee1
status: test
description: This rule flags Azure Activity Log events where Kubernetes RBAC ClusterRoles/Roles are modified via write, delete, bind action, or escalate action operations. Such changes matter because they can alter permissions and grant elevated access within connected Kubernetes clusters. The detection relies on Azure Activity Logs operationName values that specifically indicate RBAC authorization updates.
references:
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/role-based-access-control/resource-provider-operations#microsoftkubernetes
- https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2021/03/23/secure-containerized-environments-with-updated-threat-matrix-for-kubernetes/
- https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2020/04/02/attack-matrix-kubernetes/
- https://medium.com/mitre-engenuity/att-ck-for-containers-now-available-4c2359654bf1
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/cloud/azure/activity_logs/azure_kubernetes_role_access.yml
author: Austin Songer @austinsonger, Huntrule Team
date: 2021-08-07
modified: 2022-08-23
tags:
- attack.impact
- attack.t1485
- attack.t1496
- attack.t1489
logsource:
product: azure
service: activitylogs
detection:
selection:
operationName:
- MICROSOFT.KUBERNETES/CONNECTEDCLUSTERS/RBAC.AUTHORIZATION.K8S.IO/ROLES/WRITE
- MICROSOFT.KUBERNETES/CONNECTEDCLUSTERS/RBAC.AUTHORIZATION.K8S.IO/ROLES/DELETE
- MICROSOFT.KUBERNETES/CONNECTEDCLUSTERS/RBAC.AUTHORIZATION.K8S.IO/ROLES/BIND/ACTION
- MICROSOFT.KUBERNETES/CONNECTEDCLUSTERS/RBAC.AUTHORIZATION.K8S.IO/ROLES/ESCALATE/ACTION
- MICROSOFT.KUBERNETES/CONNECTEDCLUSTERS/RBAC.AUTHORIZATION.K8S.IO/CLUSTERROLES/WRITE
- MICROSOFT.KUBERNETES/CONNECTEDCLUSTERS/RBAC.AUTHORIZATION.K8S.IO/CLUSTERROLES/DELETE
- MICROSOFT.KUBERNETES/CONNECTEDCLUSTERS/RBAC.AUTHORIZATION.K8S.IO/CLUSTERROLES/BIND/ACTION
- MICROSOFT.KUBERNETES/CONNECTEDCLUSTERS/RBAC.AUTHORIZATION.K8S.IO/CLUSTERROLES/ESCALATE/ACTION
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- ClusterRoles/Roles being modified and deleted may be performed by a system administrator. Verify whether the user identity, user agent, and/or hostname should be making changes in your environment.
- ClusterRoles/Roles modification from unfamiliar users should be investigated. If known behavior is causing false positives, it can be exempted from the rule.
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
- id: 818fee0c-e0ec-4e45-824e-83e4817b0887
type: derived