Cloud Service Dashboard

Cloud Service Dashboard [T1538]

Information

• Name: Cloud Service Dashboard

• ID: T1538

• Tactics: TA0007

Introduction

The Cloud Service Dashboard technique, identified as T1538 in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, involves adversaries gaining unauthorized access to cloud infrastructure management consoles or dashboards. Attackers exploit these interfaces to manage cloud resources, escalate privileges, or conduct reconnaissance. Cloud service dashboards typically provide centralized control and visibility into cloud environments, making them attractive targets for attackers aiming to control or disrupt cloud-based infrastructure.

Deep Dive Into Technique

The Cloud Service Dashboard technique involves attackers accessing management interfaces or consoles provided by cloud service providers (CSPs). These dashboards typically offer complete visibility and control over cloud resources, making them valuable targets. Attackers can leverage compromised credentials, vulnerabilities, or misconfigurations to gain unauthorized access.

Technical execution methods include:

• Credential Theft:

  • Phishing attacks targeting cloud administrators.

  • Credential stuffing or brute force attacks against cloud logins.

  • Credential harvesting via malware or keyloggers.

• Exploiting Misconfigurations:

  • Exposed or publicly accessible dashboards.

  • Weak or default passwords left unchanged.

  • Improperly configured IAM (Identity and Access Management) policies.

• Exploiting Vulnerabilities:

  • Exploiting vulnerabilities in cloud dashboard software or plugins.

  • Leveraging known vulnerabilities in third-party services integrated into dashboards.

Real-world procedures often involve:

• Enumerating cloud infrastructure and resources through the dashboard.

• Modifying security settings or IAM policies to maintain persistent access.

• Deploying additional malicious resources or workloads within the cloud environment.

• Exfiltrating sensitive data stored within cloud resources.

When this Technique is Usually Used

Attackers utilize the Cloud Service Dashboard technique across various attack scenarios and stages, including:

• Initial Access:

  • Gaining initial foothold by compromising cloud administrator accounts.

  • Exploiting publicly exposed dashboards or weak authentication mechanisms.

• Persistence:

  • Creating malicious user accounts or API keys for future access.

  • Modifying IAM policies to maintain long-term persistence.

• Privilege Escalation:

  • Leveraging dashboard access to escalate privileges within cloud environments.

  • Modifying permissions and roles to gain administrative control.

• Reconnaissance and Discovery:

  • Enumerating cloud resources, network configurations, and sensitive data.

  • Identifying critical infrastructure and sensitive workloads.

• Impact:

  • Disrupting services by deleting or modifying critical resources.

  • Deploying ransomware or cryptojacking workloads into cloud environments.

How this Technique is Usually Detected

Detecting unauthorized access or abuse of Cloud Service Dashboards typically involves:

• Monitoring and Logging:

  • Analyzing cloud dashboard access logs for abnormal login patterns or unusual IP addresses.

  • Identifying unexpected changes to IAM policies or resource configurations.

  • Monitoring cloud audit logs (e.g., AWS CloudTrail, Azure Activity Logs, GCP Cloud Audit Logs).

• Behavioral Analysis:

  • Detecting anomalous behavior, such as resource enumeration, rapid privilege escalation, or unusual resource deployment.

  • Identifying suspicious actions, such as disabling security alerts or deleting logs.

• Security Tools and Platforms:

  • Cloud-native security tools (e.g., AWS GuardDuty, Azure Security Center, GCP Security Command Center).

  • Third-party Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASBs).

  • Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) tools integrating cloud logs.

• Indicators of Compromise (IoCs):

  • Unrecognized IP addresses accessing dashboards.

  • Multiple failed login attempts followed by successful access.

  • Creation or modification of IAM policies granting overly permissive access.

  • Sudden deployment of unknown or unauthorized cloud resources (e.g., virtual machines, containers).

Why it is Important to Detect This Technique

Early detection of unauthorized Cloud Service Dashboard access is critical due to its potential severe impacts, including:

• Data Breaches:

  • Attackers gaining access to sensitive data stored in cloud environments, leading to confidentiality violations and compliance issues.

• Service Disruption and Availability Issues:

  • Attackers deleting or modifying critical cloud resources, causing downtime and business disruption.

• Privilege Escalation and Lateral Movement:

  • Attackers escalating privileges and moving laterally within cloud environments, expanding their control and potential damage.

• Financial Impact:

  • Unauthorized deployment of costly resources leading to unexpected financial charges.

  • Potential regulatory fines and reputational damage resulting from security breaches.

• Persistence and Long-term Compromise:

  • Attackers establishing persistent access, making remediation more challenging and costly.

Detecting this technique early allows organizations to respond quickly, minimizing potential damage, mitigating financial losses, and preventing further compromise of cloud resources.

Examples

Real-world examples of attacks involving Cloud Service Dashboards include:

• Tesla AWS Kubernetes Dashboard Incident (2018):

  • Attackers exploited an exposed Kubernetes dashboard hosted on AWS.

  • Attackers deployed cryptomining workloads, leading to resource misuse and financial loss.

  • Impact included unauthorized resource consumption and potential data exposure.

• Capital One Data Breach (2019):

  • Attacker exploited misconfigured AWS IAM roles and firewall settings.

  • Gained access to AWS resources through metadata service, indirectly involving cloud dashboards and IAM management interfaces.

  • Impact included exposure of personal data for over 100 million customers, significant financial and reputational damage.

• Imperva Cloud WAF Breach (2019):

  • Attackers obtained AWS API keys, granting access to Imperva's cloud infrastructure.

  • Leveraged cloud dashboards and APIs to access sensitive customer data.

  • Impact included exposure of sensitive customer information and significant remediation efforts.

• Docker Hub Breach (2019):

  • Attackers compromised Docker Hub dashboard, accessing sensitive repositories and credentials.

  • Potentially impacting thousands of container images and deployments.

  • Impact included credential exposure and increased risk of supply chain attacks.

These examples illustrate the significant risks associated with unauthorized access to cloud service dashboards, highlighting the importance of robust security measures, monitoring, and early detection.