GCP Audit Logs - Detect Bulk VM Snapshot Deletion
| Id | dfdffdc7-929f-4c7e-8f48-30e5ffddb067 |
| Rulename | GCP Audit Logs - Detect Bulk VM Snapshot Deletion |
| Description | Detects bulk deletion of Google Cloud VM snapshots within a short time period, which may indicate data destruction or defense evasion activities. VM snapshots are critical for backup and disaster recovery. Bulk deletion of snapshots can prevent recovery from incidents and may indicate malicious activity such as ransomware, data destruction, or an attempt to cover tracks after a security breach. Adversaries may delete snapshots to maximize damage, prevent forensic investigation, or hinder recovery efforts. This rule triggers when multiple snapshots are deleted by the same user within a 1-minute window. |
| Severity | High |
| Tactics | Impact DefenseEvasion |
| Techniques | T1485 T1490 T1562.001 |
| Required data connectors | GCPAuditLogsDefinition |
| Kind | Scheduled |
| Query frequency | 15m |
| Query period | 15m |
| Trigger threshold | 0 |
| Trigger operator | gt |
| Source Uri | https://github.com/Azure/Azure-Sentinel/blob/master/Solutions/Google Cloud Platform Audit Logs/Analytic Rules/GCPBulkVMSnapshotDeletion.yaml |
| Version | 1.0.0 |
| Arm template | dfdffdc7-929f-4c7e-8f48-30e5ffddb067.json |
// Update these thresholds if noisy in your environment
let SnapshotDeletionThreshold = 10;
let TimeWindow = 1m;
GCPAuditLogs
| where ServiceName == "compute.googleapis.com"
| where MethodName has "compute.snapshots.delete"
| where GCPResourceType == "gce_snapshot" and Severity == "NOTICE"
| extend
AuthzInfoJson = parse_json(AuthorizationInfo),
RequestMetadataJson = parse_json(RequestMetadata),
ResponseJson = parse_json(Response)
| extend PermissionType = tostring(AuthzInfoJson[0].permissionType)
| where PermissionType == "ADMIN_WRITE"
| extend
CallerIpAddress = tostring(RequestMetadataJson.callerIp),
UserAgent = tostring(RequestMetadataJson.callerSuppliedUserAgent),
SnapshotName = extract(@"snapshots/([^/]+)", 1, GCPResourceName),
OperationType = tostring(ResponseJson.operationType),
OperationId = tostring(ResponseJson.id)
| summarize
SnapshotCount = count(),
SnapshotList = make_set(SnapshotName, 100),
FirstDeletion = min(TimeGenerated),
LastDeletion = max(TimeGenerated),
OperationIds = make_set(OperationId, 100),
CallerIPs = make_set(CallerIpAddress, 10)
by PrincipalEmail, ProjectId, UserAgent
| where SnapshotCount >= SnapshotDeletionThreshold
| extend DeletionTimeSpan = LastDeletion - FirstDeletion
| where DeletionTimeSpan <= TimeWindow
| extend
AccountName = tostring(split(PrincipalEmail, "@")[0]),
AccountUPNSuffix = tostring(split(PrincipalEmail, "@")[1])
| project
TimeGenerated = FirstDeletion,
PrincipalEmail,
ProjectId,
SnapshotCount,
SnapshotList,
FirstDeletion,
LastDeletion,
DeletionTimeSpan,
CallerIPs,
UserAgent,
OperationIds,
AccountName,
AccountUPNSuffix
name: GCP Audit Logs - Detect Bulk VM Snapshot Deletion
relevantTechniques:
- T1485
- T1490
- T1562.001
id: dfdffdc7-929f-4c7e-8f48-30e5ffddb067
OriginalUri: https://github.com/Azure/Azure-Sentinel/blob/master/Solutions/Google Cloud Platform Audit Logs/Analytic Rules/GCPBulkVMSnapshotDeletion.yaml
requiredDataConnectors:
- dataTypes:
- GCPAuditLogs
connectorId: GCPAuditLogsDefinition
version: 1.0.0
severity: High
triggerThreshold: 0
tags:
- GCP
- Compute
- Data Destruction
- Cloud Security
queryPeriod: 15m
entityMappings:
- fieldMappings:
- identifier: FullName
columnName: PrincipalEmail
- identifier: Name
columnName: AccountName
- identifier: UPNSuffix
columnName: AccountUPNSuffix
entityType: Account
- fieldMappings:
- identifier: Name
columnName: ProjectId
entityType: CloudApplication
kind: Scheduled
alertDetailsOverride:
alertDisplayNameFormat: 'Bulk VM Snapshot Deletion: {{SnapshotCount}} snapshots deleted by {{PrincipalEmail}} in {{ProjectId}}'
alertDescriptionFormat: |-
User {{PrincipalEmail}} deleted {{SnapshotCount}} VM snapshots in project {{ProjectId}} within a short time period.
This may indicate ransomware, data destruction, or defense evasion activity. Verify authorization, check remaining snapshots, review IP addresses, and investigate for compromise.
queryFrequency: 15m
status: Available
query: |
// Update these thresholds if noisy in your environment
let SnapshotDeletionThreshold = 10;
let TimeWindow = 1m;
GCPAuditLogs
| where ServiceName == "compute.googleapis.com"
| where MethodName has "compute.snapshots.delete"
| where GCPResourceType == "gce_snapshot" and Severity == "NOTICE"
| extend
AuthzInfoJson = parse_json(AuthorizationInfo),
RequestMetadataJson = parse_json(RequestMetadata),
ResponseJson = parse_json(Response)
| extend PermissionType = tostring(AuthzInfoJson[0].permissionType)
| where PermissionType == "ADMIN_WRITE"
| extend
CallerIpAddress = tostring(RequestMetadataJson.callerIp),
UserAgent = tostring(RequestMetadataJson.callerSuppliedUserAgent),
SnapshotName = extract(@"snapshots/([^/]+)", 1, GCPResourceName),
OperationType = tostring(ResponseJson.operationType),
OperationId = tostring(ResponseJson.id)
| summarize
SnapshotCount = count(),
SnapshotList = make_set(SnapshotName, 100),
FirstDeletion = min(TimeGenerated),
LastDeletion = max(TimeGenerated),
OperationIds = make_set(OperationId, 100),
CallerIPs = make_set(CallerIpAddress, 10)
by PrincipalEmail, ProjectId, UserAgent
| where SnapshotCount >= SnapshotDeletionThreshold
| extend DeletionTimeSpan = LastDeletion - FirstDeletion
| where DeletionTimeSpan <= TimeWindow
| extend
AccountName = tostring(split(PrincipalEmail, "@")[0]),
AccountUPNSuffix = tostring(split(PrincipalEmail, "@")[1])
| project
TimeGenerated = FirstDeletion,
PrincipalEmail,
ProjectId,
SnapshotCount,
SnapshotList,
FirstDeletion,
LastDeletion,
DeletionTimeSpan,
CallerIPs,
UserAgent,
OperationIds,
AccountName,
AccountUPNSuffix
tactics:
- Impact
- DefenseEvasion
customDetails:
CallerIPs: CallerIPs
DeletionTimeSpan: DeletionTimeSpan
LastDeletion: LastDeletion
UserAgent: UserAgent
FirstDeletion: FirstDeletion
ProjectId: ProjectId
SnapshotCount: SnapshotCount
SnapshotList: SnapshotList
description: |
'Detects bulk deletion of Google Cloud VM snapshots within a short time period, which may indicate data destruction or defense evasion activities.
VM snapshots are critical for backup and disaster recovery. Bulk deletion of snapshots can prevent recovery from incidents and may indicate
malicious activity such as ransomware, data destruction, or an attempt to cover tracks after a security breach.
Adversaries may delete snapshots to maximize damage, prevent forensic investigation, or hinder recovery efforts.
This rule triggers when multiple snapshots are deleted by the same user within a 1-minute window.'
triggerOperator: gt