Cisco AAA Commands Indicating File Deletion on Local Flash Storage

ATT&CK techniques

Defense Evasion → Impact

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1070.004File Deletion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
- T1561.001Disk Content Wipe
- T1561.002Disk Structure Wipe

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

github.comhttps://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/network/cisco/aaa/cisco_cli_file_deletion.yml

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Cisco AAA Commands Indicating File Deletion on Local Flash Storage

Pivot detection · T1070.004 · 9 related

Changelog

v2

v2
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
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.

cisco-aaa-file-deletion-activity-via-erase-delete-or-format-keywords-71d65515

title: Cisco AAA Commands Indicating File Deletion on Local Flash Storage
id: 5d19fe60-7ba3-495f-9ae5-5556a62d0fdf
status: test
description: 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.
author: Austin Clark, Huntrule Team
date: 2019-08-12
modified: 2023-01-04
tags:
  - attack.impact
  - attack.stealth
  - attack.t1070.004
  - attack.t1561.001
  - attack.t1561.002
logsource:
  product: cisco
  service: aaa
detection:
  keywords:
    - erase
    - delete
    - format
  condition: keywords
falsepositives:
  - Will be used sometimes by admins to clean up local flash space
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 71d65515-c436-43c0-841b-236b1f32c21e
    type: derived
references:
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/network/cisco/aaa/cisco_cli_file_deletion.yml

Convert

This rule as a query you can run. Uses no unlock credit.

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