Suspicious AWS Virtual MFA Device Creation
- Product
- aws
- Service
- cloudtrail
- Author
- HuntRule
- Published
- 2026-09-16
- Updated
- 2026-09-16
ATT&CK techniques
Persistence → Priv EscRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule detects the CreateVirtualMFADevice API call in AWS CloudTrail, used by the DPRK cryptocurrency-heist actors to register attacker-controlled MFA devices for persistent access to compromised identities. Unexpected MFA device creation may indicate account takeover and persistence via multi-factor manipulation and should be correlated with the acting principal.
Reporting behind it
Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.
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