Sigma rule: AWS STS AssumeRole Misuse

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-dfcd65f40949, updated 2022-10-09T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
AWS STS AssumeRole Misuse
Status
test
Level
low
Author
Austin Songer @austinsonger
Date
2021-07-24
Modified
2022-10-09
File
rules/cloud/aws/cloudtrail/aws_sts_assumerole_misuse.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Identifies the suspicious use of AssumeRole. Attackers could move laterally and escalate privileges.

Log source

product
aws
service
cloudtrail

Detection

selection:
    userIdentity.type: AssumedRole
    userIdentity.sessionContext.sessionIssuer.type: Role
condition: selection

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • AssumeRole may be done by a system or network administrator. Verify whether the user identity, user agent, and/or hostname should be making changes in your environment.
  • AssumeRole from unfamiliar users or hosts should be investigated. If known behavior is causing false positives, it can be exempted from the rule.
  • Automated processes that uses Terraform may lead to false positives.

Tags

  • attack.lateral-movement
  • attack.privilege-escalation
  • attack.t1548
  • attack.t1550
  • attack.t1550.001

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

References

Read on 2026-11-03T00:58:21.399Z under licence sigma-drl-1.1@d5f4c36a from https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/cloud/aws/cloudtrail/aws_sts_assumerole_misuse.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "AWS STS AssumeRole Misuse" by Austin Songer @austinsonger (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/cloud/aws/cloudtrail/aws_sts_assumerole_misuse.yml.
    Licensed under the Detection Rule License (DRL) 1.1: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/Detection-Rule-License

    Detection Rule License (DRL) 1.1

Cite this page

Dragons Eye Ransomware Tracker, "Sigma rule: AWS STS AssumeRole Misuse",
entity page, dataset version ref-dfcd65f40949, updated 2022-10-09T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/905d389b-b853-46d0-9d3d-dea0d3a3cd49 (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule 905d389b-b853-46d0-9d3d-dea0d3a3cd49, commit ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84.

Pages change. The dataset version identifies the data, but no archive of old versions is kept, so this citation cannot be replayed later.