huntrule

Cisco AAA Commands Indicating File Deletion on Local Flash Storage

Flags Cisco AAA log entries referencing flash file erase, delete, or format operations that may indicate stealthy cleanup.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v2
Product
cisco
Service
aaa
Author
Austin Clark (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2019-08-12
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Defense Evasion → Impact

  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Defense Evasion

  8. Cred Access

  9. Discovery

  10. Lateral Movement

  11. Collection

  12. C2

  13. Exfiltration

  14. Impact

What it detects

This rule flags Cisco AAA log events containing commands related to erasing, deleting, or formatting files on flash storage. Attackers may remove files to cover tracks, disrupt evidence collection, or reduce available artifacts on a device. The detection relies on keyword matches for erase, delete, and format within AAA service logs where such operator actions are recorded.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1070.004 — drag to rearrange
Suspicious Self-Delete Chain via Loopback Ping and File Deletion (via process_creation)
Suspicious Anti-Recovery Zeroing via fsutil setZeroData (via process_creation)
Malicious Lotus Wiper Disk Wipe via diskpart clean all (via process_creation)
Suspicious Zone.Identifier Mark-of-the-Web Removal (via process_creation)
Suspicious Self-Deletion of Dropper via Command Line
Suspicious Self-Deletion via Choice Timer and Del Command via Cmd (via process_creation)
Suspicious Jump List AutomaticDestinations Deletion via Cmd (via process_creation)
Suspicious Self-Delete via cmd choice Timeout and Del
Suspicious Ping Loopback Delay Followed by File Deletion for Evasion
Cisco AAA Commands Indicating File Deletion on Local Flash Storage
Pivot detection · T1070.004 · 9 related

Changelog

v2
  1. v2
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  2. v1
    No 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.