AWS RDS Instance or Cluster Rebooted


Description

Detects when RDS instances, clusters, or shard groups are rebooted. Unexpected reboots cause service disruption and may indicate DoS attempts, unauthorized testing, or operational issues requiring investigation.

Query · python

from panther_aws_helpers import aws_rule_context


def rule(event):
    if event.get("eventSource") != "rds.amazonaws.com":
        return False
    reboot_events = ["RebootDBInstance", "RebootDBCluster", "RebootDBShardGroup"]
    if event.get("eventName") not in reboot_events:
        return False
    return event.deep_get("errorCode") is None


def title(event):
    event_name = event.get("eventName", "Unknown")
    db_identifier = (
        event.deep_get("requestParameters", "dBInstanceIdentifier")
        or event.deep_get("requestParameters", "dBClusterIdentifier")
        or event.deep_get("requestParameters", "dBShardGroupIdentifier", default="<UNKNOWN>")
    )
    user = event.deep_get("userIdentity", "userName") or event.deep_get(
        "userIdentity", "principalId", default="<UNKNOWN_USER>"
    )
    resource_type = (
        "Instance"
        if event_name == "RebootDBInstance"
        else "Cluster" if event_name == "RebootDBCluster" else "Shard Group"
    )
    return f"RDS {resource_type} Rebooted: [{db_identifier}] by [{user}]"


def alert_context(event):
    context = aws_rule_context(event)
    context["resource_identifier"] = (
        event.deep_get("requestParameters", "dBInstanceIdentifier")
        or event.deep_get("requestParameters", "dBClusterIdentifier")
        or event.deep_get("requestParameters", "dBShardGroupIdentifier", default="N/A")
    )
    context["force_failover"] = event.deep_get("requestParameters", "forceFailover", default="N/A")
    return context

Analyst notes

  1. Find all database reboot events by the user ARN in the past 24 hours to identify bulk reboot patterns
  2. Check if this user has rebooted databases in the past 90 days to determine if this is normal behavior
  3. Look for database modification events from this user in the 30 minutes before the reboot
Raw source AWS RDS Instance or Cluster Rebooted · Panther Python
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Published by panther-labs/panther-analysis ↗, licensed under Apache 2.0 ↗. Reproduced here unmodified.
AnalysisType: rule
Filename: aws_rds_instance_rebooted.py
RuleID: "AWS.RDS.InstanceRebooted"
DisplayName: "AWS RDS Instance or Cluster Rebooted"
Enabled: true
LogTypes:
  - AWS.CloudTrail
Tags:
  - AWS
  - Impact
  - Availability
  - Endpoint Denial of Service
  - RDS
Severity: Medium
Description: >
  Detects when RDS instances, clusters, or shard groups are rebooted. Unexpected reboots
  cause service disruption and may indicate DoS attempts, unauthorized testing, or
  operational issues requiring investigation.
Runbook: |
  1. Find all database reboot events by the user ARN in the past 24 hours to identify bulk reboot patterns
  2. Check if this user has rebooted databases in the past 90 days to determine if this is normal behavior
  3. Look for database modification events from this user in the 30 minutes before the reboot
Reference: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/UserGuide/USER_RebootInstance.html
Reports:
  MITRE ATT&CK:
    - TA0040:T1499  # Endpoint Denial of Service
DedupPeriodMinutes: 60
SummaryAttributes:
  - eventName
  - userIdentity:principalId
  - requestParameters:dBInstanceIdentifier
  - requestParameters:dBClusterIdentifier
  - p_any_aws_account_ids
Threshold: 1
Tests:
  - Name: DB Instance Rebooted
    ExpectedResult: true
    Log:
      eventVersion: "1.08"
      userIdentity:
        type: AssumedRole
        principalId: "AIDAI23HXS3EXAMPLE:admin"
        arn: "arn:aws:sts::123456789012:assumed-role/DBARole/admin"
        accountId: "123456789012"
        accessKeyId: "ASIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE"
      eventTime: "2024-01-18T02:00:00Z"
      eventSource: rds.amazonaws.com
      eventName: RebootDBInstance
      awsRegion: us-east-1
      sourceIPAddress: "10.0.1.100"
      userAgent: "console.amazonaws.com"
      requestParameters:
        dBInstanceIdentifier: "production-mysql"
        forceFailover: false
      responseElements:
        dBInstanceIdentifier: "production-mysql"
        dBInstanceStatus: "rebooting"
      requestID: "a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890"
      eventID: "f1e2d3c4-b5a6-7890-1234-567890abcdef"
      readOnly: false
      eventType: AwsApiCall
      managementEvent: true
      recipientAccountId: "123456789012"
      eventCategory: Management

  - Name: DB Cluster Rebooted with Failover
    ExpectedResult: true
    Log:
      eventVersion: "1.08"
      userIdentity:
        type: IAMUser
        principalId: "AIDAI23HXS3EXAMPLE"
        arn: "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:user/operator"
        accountId: "123456789012"
        accessKeyId: "AKIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE"
        userName: operator
      eventTime: "2024-01-18T02:00:00Z"
      eventSource: rds.amazonaws.com
      eventName: RebootDBCluster
      awsRegion: us-west-2
      sourceIPAddress: "203.0.113.100"
      userAgent: "aws-cli/2.13.0"
      requestParameters:
        dBClusterIdentifier: "aurora-cluster-prod"
        forceFailover: true
      responseElements:
        dBClusterIdentifier: "aurora-cluster-prod"
        status: "rebooting"
      requestID: "b2c3d4e5-f6a7-8901-bcde-f1234567890a"
      eventID: "g2f3e4d5-c6b7-8901-2345-678901bcdefg"
      readOnly: false
      eventType: AwsApiCall
      managementEvent: true
      recipientAccountId: "123456789012"
      eventCategory: Management

  - Name: Reboot Failed
    ExpectedResult: false
    Log:
      eventVersion: "1.08"
      userIdentity:
        type: IAMUser
        principalId: "AIDAI23HXS3EXAMPLE"
        arn: "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:user/developer"
        accountId: "123456789012"
        accessKeyId: "AKIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE"
        userName: developer
      eventTime: "2024-01-18T02:00:00Z"
      eventSource: rds.amazonaws.com
      eventName: RebootDBInstance
      awsRegion: us-east-1
      sourceIPAddress: "10.0.2.100"
      userAgent: "aws-cli/2.13.0"
      requestParameters:
        dBInstanceIdentifier: "production-db"
      errorCode: InvalidDBInstanceState
      errorMessage: "Cannot reboot DB instance in current state"
      requestID: "c3d4e5f6-a7b8-9012-cdef-1234567890ab"
      eventID: "h3g4f5e6-d7c8-9012-3456-789012cdefgh"
      readOnly: false
      eventType: AwsApiCall
      managementEvent: true
      recipientAccountId: "123456789012"
      eventCategory: Management

  - Name: Different RDS Event
    ExpectedResult: false
    Log:
      eventVersion: "1.08"
      userIdentity:
        type: AssumedRole
        principalId: "AIDAI23HXS3EXAMPLE:user"
        arn: "arn:aws:sts::123456789012:assumed-role/Admin/user"
        accountId: "123456789012"
      eventTime: "2024-01-18T02:00:00Z"
      eventSource: rds.amazonaws.com
      eventName: StartDBInstance
      awsRegion: us-east-1
      sourceIPAddress: "10.0.1.100"
      requestParameters:
        dBInstanceIdentifier: "dev-database"
      requestID: "d4e5f6a7-b8c9-0123-def0-1234567890bc"
      eventID: "i4h5g6f7-e8d9-0123-4567-890123defghi"
      readOnly: false
      eventType: AwsApiCall
      managementEvent: true
      recipientAccountId: "123456789012"
      eventCategory: Management


# ------ paired body: aws_rds_instance_rebooted.py ------

from panther_aws_helpers import aws_rule_context


def rule(event):
    if event.get("eventSource") != "rds.amazonaws.com":
        return False
    reboot_events = ["RebootDBInstance", "RebootDBCluster", "RebootDBShardGroup"]
    if event.get("eventName") not in reboot_events:
        return False
    return event.deep_get("errorCode") is None


def title(event):
    event_name = event.get("eventName", "Unknown")
    db_identifier = (
        event.deep_get("requestParameters", "dBInstanceIdentifier")
        or event.deep_get("requestParameters", "dBClusterIdentifier")
        or event.deep_get("requestParameters", "dBShardGroupIdentifier", default="<UNKNOWN>")
    )
    user = event.deep_get("userIdentity", "userName") or event.deep_get(
        "userIdentity", "principalId", default="<UNKNOWN_USER>"
    )
    resource_type = (
        "Instance"
        if event_name == "RebootDBInstance"
        else "Cluster" if event_name == "RebootDBCluster" else "Shard Group"
    )
    return f"RDS {resource_type} Rebooted: [{db_identifier}] by [{user}]"


def alert_context(event):
    context = aws_rule_context(event)
    context["resource_identifier"] = (
        event.deep_get("requestParameters", "dBInstanceIdentifier")
        or event.deep_get("requestParameters", "dBClusterIdentifier")
        or event.deep_get("requestParameters", "dBShardGroupIdentifier", default="N/A")
    )
    context["force_failover"] = event.deep_get("requestParameters", "forceFailover", default="N/A")
    return context

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