Azure Kubernetes Service Service Account Modified or Deleted Activity Log Events
Alerts on Azure Activity Log events where a Kubernetes service account is written, deleted, or impersonated.
- 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 identifies Azure activity log events where a Kubernetes connected cluster service account is written, deleted, or impersonated. Such changes matter because attackers with sufficient permissions can alter service account privileges, remove access, or perform actions via impersonation. The detection relies on Azure Activity Logs fields that record the Kubernetes service account operation names for write, delete, and impersonate actions.
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_service_account_modified_or_deleted.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.
title: Azure Kubernetes Service Service Account Modified or Deleted Activity Log Events
id: 62cbd0ee-8be9-4e3b-963c-6f85ec8eb639
status: test
description: This rule identifies Azure activity log events where a Kubernetes connected cluster service account is written, deleted, or impersonated. Such changes matter because attackers with sufficient permissions can alter service account privileges, remove access, or perform actions via impersonation. The detection relies on Azure Activity Logs fields that record the Kubernetes service account operation names for write, delete, and impersonate actions.
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_service_account_modified_or_deleted.yml
author: Austin Songer @austinsonger, Huntrule Team
date: 2021-08-07
modified: 2022-08-23
tags:
- attack.impact
- attack.t1531
- attack.t1485
- attack.t1496
- attack.t1489
logsource:
product: azure
service: activitylogs
detection:
selection:
operationName:
- MICROSOFT.KUBERNETES/CONNECTEDCLUSTERS/SERVICEACCOUNTS/WRITE
- MICROSOFT.KUBERNETES/CONNECTEDCLUSTERS/SERVICEACCOUNTS/DELETE
- MICROSOFT.KUBERNETES/CONNECTEDCLUSTERS/SERVICEACCOUNTS/IMPERSONATE/ACTION
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Service account being modified or 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.
- Service account modified or deleted 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: 12d027c3-b48c-4d9d-8bb6-a732200034b2
type: derived