Cloud Cryptomining

• Cloud Compute Instance Created By Previously Unseen User :
  threat Cloud Compute Instance None version:12
  The following analytic identifies the creation of cloud compute instances by users who have not previously created them. It leverages data from the Change data model, focusing on 'create' actions by users, and cross-references with a baseline of known user activities. This activity is significant as it may indicate unauthorized access or misuse of cloud resources by new or compromised accounts. If confirmed malicious, attackers could deploy unauthorized compute instances, leading to potential data exfiltration, increased costs, or further exploitation within the cloud environment.


• Cloud Compute Instance Created With Previously Unseen Image :
  threat Cloud Compute Instance None version:10
  The following analytic detects the creation of cloud compute instances using previously unseen image IDs. It leverages cloud infrastructure logs to identify new image IDs that have not been observed before. This activity is significant because it may indicate unauthorized or suspicious activity, such as the deployment of malicious payloads or unauthorized access to sensitive information. If confirmed malicious, this could lead to data breaches, unauthorized access, or further compromise of the cloud environment. Immediate investigation is required to determine the legitimacy of the instance creation and to mitigate potential threats.


• Cloud Compute Instance Created With Previously Unseen Instance Type :
  threat Cloud Compute Instance None version:11
  The following analytic detects the creation of EC2 instances with previously unseen instance types. It leverages Splunk's tstats command to analyze data from the Change data model, identifying instance types that have not been previously recorded. This activity is significant for a SOC because it may indicate unauthorized or suspicious activity, such as an attacker attempting to create instances for malicious purposes. If confirmed malicious, this could lead to unauthorized access, data exfiltration, system compromise, or service disruption. Immediate investigation is required to determine the legitimacy of the instance creation.


• Abnormally High Number Of Cloud Instances Launched :
  threat Cloud Instance 2026-03-10 version:10
  The following analytic detects an abnormally high number of cloud instances launched within a 4-hour period. It leverages cloud infrastructure logs and applies a probability density model to identify outliers based on historical data. This activity is significant for a SOC because a sudden spike in instance creation could indicate unauthorized access or misuse of cloud resources. If confirmed malicious, this behavior could lead to resource exhaustion, increased costs, or provide attackers with additional compute resources to further their objectives.


• Cloud Compute Instance Created In Previously Unused Region :
  threat Cloud Compute Instance None version:10
  The following analytic detects the creation of a cloud compute instance in a region that has not been previously used within the last hour. It leverages cloud infrastructure logs and compares the regions of newly created instances against a lookup file of historically used regions. This activity is significant because the creation of instances in new regions can indicate unauthorized or suspicious activity, such as an attacker attempting to evade detection or establish a foothold in a less monitored area. If confirmed malicious, this could lead to unauthorized resource usage, data exfiltration, or further compromise of the cloud environment.