AWS Access Keys At Account Creation

Severity: low
Compliance: CIS 1.21
Tags: AWS, Identity & Access Management
Reference: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/IAM/latest/UserGuide/id_credentials_access-keys.html
Source: github.com/panther-labs/panther-analysis

This policy validates that AWS IAM user accounts do not have access keys that were created during account creation. This results in excess keys being generated, and unnecessary management work in auditing and rotating these keys.

Rule body yaml

AnalysisType: policy
Filename: aws_access_keys_at_account_creation.py
DisplayName: "AWS Access Keys At Account Creation"
PolicyID: "AWS.AccessKeys.AccountCreation"
Enabled: true
ResourceTypes:
  - AWS.IAM.User
  - AWS.IAM.RootUser
Tags:
  - AWS
  - Identity & Access Management
Reports:
  CIS:
    - 1.21
Severity: Low
Description: >
  This policy validates that AWS IAM user accounts do not have access keys that were
  created during account creation. This results in excess keys being generated,
  and unnecessary management work in auditing and rotating these keys.
Runbook: >
  https://docs.runpanther.io/alert-runbooks/built-in-policies/aws-access-keys-are-not-created-at-account-creation
Reference: >
  https://docs.aws.amazon.com/IAM/latest/UserGuide/id_credentials_access-keys.html
Tests:
  - Name: Root User Access Key Created At Account Creation
    ExpectedResult: false
    Resource:
      {
        "ARN": "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:root",
        "TimeCreated": "2019-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
        "CredentialReport":
          {
            "ARN": "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:root",
            "AccessKey1Active": false,
            "AccessKey1LastRotated": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "AccessKey1LastUsedDate": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "AccessKey1LastUsedRegion": "N/A",
            "AccessKey1LastUsedService": "N/A",
            "AccessKey2Active": false,
            "AccessKey2LastRotated": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "AccessKey2LastUsedDate": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "AccessKey2LastUsedRegion": "N/A",
            "AccessKey2LastUsedService": "N/A",
            "Cert1Active": false,
            "Cert1LastRotated": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "Cert2Active": false,
            "Cert2LastRotated": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "MfaActive": true,
            "PasswordEnabled": false,
            "PasswordLastChanged": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "PasswordLastUsed": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "PasswordNextRotation": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "UserCreationTime": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "UserName": "<root_account>",
          },
        "UserID": null,
        "UserName": "root",
        "VirtualMFA": null,
      }
  - Name: Root User Access Key Not Created At Account Creation
    ExpectedResult: true
    Resource:
      {
        "ARN": "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:root",
        "TimeCreated": "2019-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
        "CredentialReport":
          {
            "ARN": "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:root",
            "AccessKey1Active": false,
            "AccessKey1LastRotated": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "AccessKey1LastUsedDate": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "AccessKey1LastUsedRegion": "N/A",
            "AccessKey1LastUsedService": "N/A",
            "AccessKey2Active": false,
            "AccessKey2LastRotated": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "AccessKey2LastUsedDate": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "AccessKey2LastUsedRegion": "N/A",
            "AccessKey2LastUsedService": "N/A",
            "Cert1Active": false,
            "Cert1LastRotated": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "Cert2Active": false,
            "Cert2LastRotated": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "MfaActive": true,
            "PasswordEnabled": false,
            "PasswordLastChanged": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "PasswordLastUsed": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "PasswordNextRotation": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "UserCreationTime": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "UserName": "<root_account>",
          },
        "UserID": null,
        "UserName": "root",
        "VirtualMFA": null,
      }
  - Name: Root User Access Key Rotated Since Account Creation
    ExpectedResult: true
    Resource:
      {
        "ARN": "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:root",
        "TimeCreated": "2019-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
        "CredentialReport":
          {
            "ARN": "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:root",
            "AccessKey1Active": false,
            "AccessKey1LastRotated": "2019-01-01T00:10:00Z",
            "AccessKey1LastUsedDate": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "AccessKey1LastUsedRegion": "N/A",
            "AccessKey1LastUsedService": "N/A",
            "AccessKey2Active": false,
            "AccessKey2LastRotated": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "AccessKey2LastUsedDate": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "AccessKey2LastUsedRegion": "N/A",
            "AccessKey2LastUsedService": "N/A",
            "Cert1Active": false,
            "Cert1LastRotated": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "Cert2Active": false,
            "Cert2LastRotated": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "MfaActive": true,
            "PasswordEnabled": false,
            "PasswordLastChanged": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "PasswordLastUsed": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "PasswordNextRotation": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "UserCreationTime": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "UserName": "<root_account>",
          },
        "UserID": null,
        "UserName": "root",
        "VirtualMFA": null,
      }
  - Name: User Access Key Created At Account Creation
    ExpectedResult: false
    Resource:
      {
        "Arn": "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:user/Bobert",
        "TimeCreated": "2019-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
        "CredentialReport":
          {
            "ARN": "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:user/Bobert",
            "AccessKey1Active": true,
            "AccessKey1LastRotated": "2019-01-01T00:00:05Z",
            "AccessKey1LastUsedDate": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "AccessKey1LastUsedRegion": "N/A",
            "AccessKey1LastUsedService": "N/A",
            "AccessKey2Active": false,
            "AccessKey2LastRotated": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "AccessKey2LastUsedDate": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "AccessKey2LastUsedRegion": "N/A",
            "AccessKey2LastUsedService": "N/A",
            "Cert1Active": false,
            "Cert1LastRotated": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "Cert2Active": false,
            "Cert2LastRotated": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "MfaActive": false,
            "PasswordEnabled": true,
            "PasswordLastChanged": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "PasswordLastUsed": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "PasswordNextRotation": "2019-04-01T00:00:00Z",
            "UserCreationTime": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "UserName": "Bobert",
          },
        "Groups":
          [
            {
              "Arn": "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:group/ExampleGroup",
              "TimeCreated": "2019-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
              "GroupId": "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP",
              "GroupName": "ExampleGroup",
              "Path": "/",
            },
          ],
        "InlinePolicyNames": null,
        "ManagedPolicyNames": ["IAMUserChangePassword"],
        "PasswordLastUsed": null,
        "Path": "/",
        "PermissionsBoundary": null,
        "Tags": null,
        "UserId": "ASDFASDFASDFASDF",
        "UserName": "Bobert",
        "VirtualMFA": null,
      }
  - Name: User Access Key Not Created At Account Creation
    ExpectedResult: true
    Resource:
      {
        "Arn": "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:user/Bobert",
        "TimeCreated": "2019-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
        "CredentialReport":
          {
            "ARN": "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:user/Bobert",
            "AccessKey1Active": true,
            "AccessKey1LastRotated": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "AccessKey1LastUsedDate": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "AccessKey1LastUsedRegion": "N/A",
            "AccessKey1LastUsedService": "N/A",
            "AccessKey2Active": false,
            "AccessKey2LastRotated": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "AccessKey2LastUsedDate": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "AccessKey2LastUsedRegion": "N/A",
            "AccessKey2LastUsedService": "N/A",
            "Cert1Active": false,
            "Cert1LastRotated": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "Cert2Active": false,
            "Cert2LastRotated": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "MfaActive": false,
            "PasswordEnabled": true,
            "PasswordLastChanged": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "PasswordLastUsed": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "PasswordNextRotation": "2019-04-01T00:00:00Z",
            "UserCreationTime": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "UserName": "Bobert",
          },
        "Groups":
          [
            {
              "Arn": "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:group/ExampleGroup",
              "TimeCreated": "2019-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
              "GroupId": "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP",
              "GroupName": "ExampleGroup",
              "Path": "/",
            },
          ],
        "InlinePolicyNames": null,
        "ManagedPolicyNames": ["IAMUserChangePassword"],
        "PasswordLastUsed": null,
        "Path": "/",
        "PermissionsBoundary": null,
        "Tags": null,
        "UserId": "ASDFASDFASDFASDF",
        "UserName": "Bobert",
        "VirtualMFA": null,
      }
  - Name: User Access Key Rotated Since Account Creation
    ExpectedResult: true
    Resource:
      {
        "Arn": "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:user/Bobert",
        "TimeCreated": "2019-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
        "CredentialReport":
          {
            "ARN": "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:user/Bobert",
            "AccessKey1Active": true,
            "AccessKey1LastRotated": "2019-01-01T00:00:30Z",
            "AccessKey1LastUsedDate": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "AccessKey1LastUsedRegion": "N/A",
            "AccessKey1LastUsedService": "N/A",
            "AccessKey2Active": false,
            "AccessKey2LastRotated": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "AccessKey2LastUsedDate": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "AccessKey2LastUsedRegion": "N/A",
            "AccessKey2LastUsedService": "N/A",
            "Cert1Active": false,
            "Cert1LastRotated": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "Cert2Active": false,
            "Cert2LastRotated": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "MfaActive": false,
            "PasswordEnabled": true,
            "PasswordLastChanged": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "PasswordLastUsed": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "PasswordNextRotation": "2019-04-01T00:00:00Z",
            "UserCreationTime": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "UserName": "Bobert",
          },
        "Groups":
          [
            {
              "Arn": "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:group/ExampleGroup",
              "TimeCreated": "2019-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
              "GroupId": "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP",
              "GroupName": "ExampleGroup",
              "Path": "/",
            },
          ],
        "InlinePolicyNames": null,
        "ManagedPolicyNames": ["IAMUserChangePassword"],
        "PasswordLastUsed": null,
        "Path": "/",
        "PermissionsBoundary": null,
        "Tags": null,
        "UserId": "ASDFASDFASDFASDF",
        "UserName": "Bobert",
        "VirtualMFA": null,
      }
  - Name: Observed - Timestamp Issues
    ExpectedResult: true
    Resource:
      {
        "AccountId": "123456789012",
        "CredentialReport":
          {
            "MfaActive": true,
            "AccessKey1LastUsedRegion": "us-east-1",
            "Cert2LastRotated": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "AccessKey2Active": false,
            "AccessKey2LastRotated": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "AccessKey1LastRotated": "2021-02-07T09:18:42Z",
            "AccessKey1LastUsedService": "sts",
            "AccessKey1LastUsedDate": "2021-03-01T14:31:00Z",
            "UserName": "bobert",
            "PasswordEnabled": true,
            "PasswordLastChanged": "2021-02-09T14:05:34Z",
            "UserCreationTime": "2020-06-02T09:33:48Z",
            "PasswordLastUsed": "2021-03-01T10:13:14Z",
            "AccessKey2LastUsedDate": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "PasswordNextRotation": "2021-05-10T14:05:34Z",
            "AccessKey1Active": true,
            "ARN": "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:user/bobert",
            "Cert1LastRotated": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
            "Cert1Active": false,
            "AccessKey2LastUsedService": "N/A",
            "Cert2Active": false,
            "AccessKey2LastUsedRegion": "N/A",
          },
        "PasswordLastUsed": "2021-03-01T10:13:14Z",
        "InlinePolicies": null,
        "Id": "XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX",
        "TimeCreated": "2020-06-02T09:33:48Z",
        "Arn": "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:user/bobert",
        "Path": "/",
        "VirtualMFA":
          {
            "SerialNumber": "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:mfa/bobert",
            "EnableDate": "2020-06-02T10:10:10Z",
          },
        "PermissionsBoundary": null,
        "Region": "global",
        "Tags": null,
        "ResourceId": "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:user/bobert",
        "ResourceType": "AWS.IAM.User",
        "Name": "bobert",
        "ManagedPolicyNames": null,
      }

Detection logic

Condition

not (CredentialReport is_null or CredentialReport.AccessKey1LastRotated eq "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z")

This rule also runs imperative logic the parser cannot express as a filter; the conditions above are the structured part it could extract.

Exclusions

Top-level NOT(...) conjuncts: predicates this rule actively suppresses.

Field	Kind	Excluded values
`CredentialReport`	is_null	(no value, null check)
`CredentialReport.AccessKey1LastRotated`	eq	`0001-01-01T00:00:00Z`

`j` / `k`	Scroll down / up
`d` / `u`	Half-page down / up
`gg` / `G`	Top / bottom
`h` / `l`	History back / forward
`f`	Follow link (`Shift` = new tab)
`/`	Focus search
`?`	Toggle this help
`↑` / `↓`	Navigate search results
`Enter`	Open highlighted result
`Esc`	Close results / dialog

`type:`	`events` / `rules` / `providers`
`vendor:`	`sigma` / `elastic` / `splunk` / `kusto` / `chronicle` (vendor name alone also works: `sigma:`, `kql:`, `secops:`…)
`tactic:`	TA-id, slug, or name: `credential_access`, `TA0006`
`technique:`	technique or sub-technique ID: `T1003`, `T1003.001` (alias `tech:`)
`severity:`	`critical` / `high` / `medium` / `low` / `informational` (alias `sev:`)
`risk_score`	Numeric comparison on the Elastic risk score (0 to 100): `risk_score>50`, `risk_score<=20`, `risk_score=99` (alias `risk`; Elastic rules only)
`stages:`	Rules with exactly N pipeline stages
`correlation:`	`single_event` / `sequence` / `alternatives` / `alternatives_cross_log` / `all_required` / `correlated`
`with:`	Co-occurrence event-id; stacks (`with:4624 with:4769`) to require all, while a comma list in one occurrence (`with:4624,4769`) is an either-or group. Implies multi-event
`like:`	Structural neighbors of a rule slug (equivalents + subsumption stricter / broader): `like:comsvcs_lsass_memory_dump-splunk-sysmon`
`groupby:`	Entity-grouping substring match against `group_by_keys`: `groupby:user`, `groupby:host`
`uses:`	Rules whose predicate tree touches the field (any kind, any value): `uses:CommandLine`
`excludes:`	Rules with top-level `not()` clauses on the field (FP whitelists): `excludes:ParentImage`
`field:` / `value:`	Predicate search; narrows rule cards to those with a matching leaf and drives the indicator tier. Unquoted = substring, wildcards allowed (`value:mimikatz`)
`indicator:`	Shorthand for `field:F value:V`: `indicator:Image=*\powershell.exe`
`kind:`	Filter by predicate kind. Narrows rule cards to those carrying a matching predicate leaf (`vendor:elastic kind:cidr_match`) and drives the indicator tier: `contains` / `starts_with` / `ends_with` / `regex` / `cidr` / `eq` / `in` … (operator aliases `op:`/`match:`)
`has:` / `no:`	`sample`, `field`, `notes`, `refs`, `trace`, `thirdparty`, `rule`, `pattern`, `timewindow`, `threshold`, `newterms`, `sigma`/`elastic`/`splunk`/`kusto`/`chronicle`
`-op:val`	Exclude matches; works on most operators but not `type:`/`like:`/`has:`/`no:` (use `no:<flag>` to exclude a rule flag): `tactic:execution -vendor:splunk`. Standalone `-kind:`/`-field:`/`-value:` drop every rule carrying a matching predicate leaf (`type:rules -kind:is_null`)
`field:"…"` / `value:"…"`	Quoted value = anchored exact match (also allows spaces): `value:"net user"`
`a,b`	Comma = OR inside one operator (`vendor:sigma,elastic`, `severity:high,critical`); repeating a facet merges the same way. `field:`/`value:` never split (literal commas)
`vendors:` / `stage:`	Singular and plural spellings fold to the canonical operator and value: `tactics:` = `tactic:`, `type:event` = `type:events`, `correlation:sequences` = `correlation:sequence`, `has:thresholds` = `has:threshold`
`"quoted phrase"`	Exact-match a multi-word phrase (free text)

AWS Access Keys At Account Creation

Rule body yaml

Detection logic

Condition

Exclusions

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