AWS RDS Log File Downloaded


Description

Detects when RDS database log files are downloaded. Log files may contain credentials, sensitive queries, or application secrets. Bulk downloads from unusual locations may indicate credential harvesting or data reconnaissance.

Query · python

from panther_aws_helpers import aws_rule_context


def rule(event):
    if event.get("eventSource") != "rds.amazonaws.com":
        return False
    if event.get("eventName") != "DownloadDBLogFilePortion":
        return False
    return event.deep_get("errorCode") is None


def title(event):
    db_identifier = event.deep_get("requestParameters", "dBInstanceIdentifier", default="<UNKNOWN>")
    log_file = event.deep_get("requestParameters", "logFileName", default="<UNKNOWN_FILE>")
    user = event.deep_get("userIdentity", "userName") or event.deep_get(
        "userIdentity", "principalId", default="<UNKNOWN_USER>"
    )
    return f"RDS Log Downloaded: [{log_file}] from [{db_identifier}] by [{user}]"


def dedup(event):
    db_identifier = event.deep_get("requestParameters", "dBInstanceIdentifier", default="unknown")
    log_file = event.deep_get("requestParameters", "logFileName", default="unknown")
    account_id = event.deep_get("recipientAccountId", default="unknown")
    region = event.get("awsRegion", "unknown")
    return f"{account_id}:{region}:{db_identifier}:{log_file}"


def alert_context(event):
    context = aws_rule_context(event)
    context["db_instance_identifier"] = event.deep_get(
        "requestParameters", "dBInstanceIdentifier", default="N/A"
    )
    context["log_file_name"] = event.deep_get("requestParameters", "logFileName", default="N/A")
    context["marker"] = event.deep_get("requestParameters", "marker", default="N/A")
    context["number_of_lines"] = event.deep_get("requestParameters", "numberOfLines", default="N/A")
    return context

Analyst notes

  1. Find all log file download events by the user ARN in the past 6 hours to identify bulk download patterns
  2. Check if the source IP address matches the user's normal access patterns from the past 30 days
  3. Look for database access or modification events from this user in the 48 hours before the log download
Raw source AWS RDS Log File Downloaded · 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_log_file_downloaded.py
RuleID: "AWS.RDS.LogFileDownloaded"
DisplayName: "AWS RDS Log File Downloaded"
Enabled: true
Status: Experimental
LogTypes:
  - AWS.CloudTrail
Tags:
  - AWS
  - Credential Access
  - Discovery
  - Credentials in Files
  - RDS
Severity: Low
Description: >
  Detects when RDS database log files are downloaded. Log files may contain credentials,
  sensitive queries, or application secrets. Bulk downloads from unusual locations may
  indicate credential harvesting or data reconnaissance.
Runbook: |
  1. Find all log file download events by the user ARN in the past 6 hours to identify bulk download patterns
  2. Check if the source IP address matches the user's normal access patterns from the past 30 days
  3. Look for database access or modification events from this user in the 48 hours before the log download
Reference: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/UserGuide/USER_LogAccess.html
Reports:
  MITRE ATT&CK:
    - TA0006:T1552.001  # Credentials in Files
DedupPeriodMinutes: 60
SummaryAttributes:
  - eventName
  - userIdentity:principalId
  - requestParameters:dBInstanceIdentifier
  - requestParameters:logFileName
  - sourceIPAddress
  - p_any_aws_account_ids
Threshold: 1
Tests:
  - Name: Error Log Downloaded
    ExpectedResult: true
    Log:
      eventVersion: "1.08"
      userIdentity:
        type: AssumedRole
        principalId: "AIDAI23HXS3EXAMPLE:dba"
        arn: "arn:aws:sts::123456789012:assumed-role/DBARole/dba"
        accountId: "123456789012"
        accessKeyId: "ASIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE"
      eventTime: "2024-01-18T06:15:00Z"
      eventSource: rds.amazonaws.com
      eventName: DownloadDBLogFilePortion
      awsRegion: us-east-1
      sourceIPAddress: "10.0.1.100"
      userAgent: "aws-cli/2.13.0"
      requestParameters:
        dBInstanceIdentifier: "production-mysql"
        logFileName: "error/mysql-error.log"
        numberOfLines: 1000
        marker: "0"
      responseElements:
        logFileData: "[REDACTED]"
        marker: "1000"
        additionalDataPending: true
      requestID: "a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890"
      eventID: "f1e2d3c4-b5a6-7890-1234-567890abcdef"
      readOnly: true
      eventType: AwsApiCall
      managementEvent: true
      recipientAccountId: "123456789012"
      eventCategory: Management

  - Name: Audit Log Downloaded from External IP
    ExpectedResult: true
    Log:
      eventVersion: "1.08"
      userIdentity:
        type: IAMUser
        principalId: "AIDAI23HXS3EXAMPLE"
        arn: "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:user/contractor"
        accountId: "123456789012"
        accessKeyId: "AKIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE"
        userName: contractor
      eventTime: "2024-01-18T06:15:00Z"
      eventSource: rds.amazonaws.com
      eventName: DownloadDBLogFilePortion
      awsRegion: us-west-2
      sourceIPAddress: "198.51.100.200"
      userAgent: "Boto3/1.26.0"
      requestParameters:
        dBInstanceIdentifier: "customer-database"
        logFileName: "audit/server_audit.log"
        numberOfLines: 5000
      responseElements:
        logFileData: "[REDACTED]"
        marker: "5000"
        additionalDataPending: false
      requestID: "b2c3d4e5-f6a7-8901-bcde-f1234567890a"
      eventID: "g2f3e4d5-c6b7-8901-2345-678901bcdefg"
      readOnly: true
      eventType: AwsApiCall
      managementEvent: true
      recipientAccountId: "123456789012"
      eventCategory: Management

  - Name: Download 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: "2024-01-18T06:15:00Z"
      eventSource: rds.amazonaws.com
      eventName: DownloadDBLogFilePortion
      awsRegion: us-east-1
      sourceIPAddress: "10.0.2.100"
      userAgent: "aws-cli/2.13.0"
      requestParameters:
        dBInstanceIdentifier: "production-db"
        logFileName: "error/mysql-error.log"
      errorCode: AccessDenied
      errorMessage: "User is not authorized to perform: rds:DownloadDBLogFilePortion"
      requestID: "c3d4e5f6-a7b8-9012-cdef-1234567890ab"
      eventID: "h3g4f5e6-d7c8-9012-3456-789012cdefgh"
      readOnly: true
      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: "2024-01-18T06:15:00Z"
      eventSource: rds.amazonaws.com
      eventName: DescribeDBLogFiles
      awsRegion: us-east-1
      sourceIPAddress: "10.0.1.100"
      requestParameters:
        dBInstanceIdentifier: "production-db"
      requestID: "d4e5f6a7-b8c9-0123-def0-1234567890bc"
      eventID: "i4h5g6f7-e8d9-0123-4567-890123defghi"
      readOnly: true
      eventType: AwsApiCall
      managementEvent: true
      recipientAccountId: "123456789012"
      eventCategory: Management


# ------ paired body: aws_rds_log_file_downloaded.py ------

from panther_aws_helpers import aws_rule_context


def rule(event):
    if event.get("eventSource") != "rds.amazonaws.com":
        return False
    if event.get("eventName") != "DownloadDBLogFilePortion":
        return False
    return event.deep_get("errorCode") is None


def title(event):
    db_identifier = event.deep_get("requestParameters", "dBInstanceIdentifier", default="<UNKNOWN>")
    log_file = event.deep_get("requestParameters", "logFileName", default="<UNKNOWN_FILE>")
    user = event.deep_get("userIdentity", "userName") or event.deep_get(
        "userIdentity", "principalId", default="<UNKNOWN_USER>"
    )
    return f"RDS Log Downloaded: [{log_file}] from [{db_identifier}] by [{user}]"


def dedup(event):
    db_identifier = event.deep_get("requestParameters", "dBInstanceIdentifier", default="unknown")
    log_file = event.deep_get("requestParameters", "logFileName", default="unknown")
    account_id = event.deep_get("recipientAccountId", default="unknown")
    region = event.get("awsRegion", "unknown")
    return f"{account_id}:{region}:{db_identifier}:{log_file}"


def alert_context(event):
    context = aws_rule_context(event)
    context["db_instance_identifier"] = event.deep_get(
        "requestParameters", "dBInstanceIdentifier", default="N/A"
    )
    context["log_file_name"] = event.deep_get("requestParameters", "logFileName", default="N/A")
    context["marker"] = event.deep_get("requestParameters", "marker", default="N/A")
    context["number_of_lines"] = event.deep_get("requestParameters", "numberOfLines", default="N/A")
    return context

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