AWS EC2 Instance Approved VPC

Severity: high
Tags: AWS, Configuration Required
Reference: https://aws.amazon.com/vpc/
Source: github.com/panther-labs/panther-analysis

This policy ensures that the given EC2 Instance is running in an approved VPC.

Rule body yaml

AnalysisType: policy
Filename: aws_ec2_instance_approved_vpc.py
PolicyID: "AWS.EC2.Instance.ApprovedVPC"
DisplayName: "AWS EC2 Instance Approved VPC"
Enabled: false
ResourceTypes:
  - AWS.EC2.Instance
Tags:
  - AWS
  - Configuration Required
Severity: High
Description: >
  This policy ensures that the given EC2 Instance is running in an approved VPC.
Runbook: >
  https://docs.runpanther.io/alert-runbooks/built-in-policies/aws-ec2-instance-running-in-approved-vpc
Reference: https://aws.amazon.com/vpc/
Tests:
  - Name: Instance Not Running In Approved VPC
    ExpectedResult: false
    Resource:
      {
        "AmiLaunchIndex": 0,
        "Architecture": "x86_64",
        "BlockDeviceMappings":
          [
            {
              "DeviceName": "/dev/xvda",
              "Ebs":
                {
                  "AttachTime": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
                  "DeleteOnTermination": true,
                  "Status": "attached",
                  "VolumeId": "vol-0b111222333444",
                },
            },
          ],
        "CapacityReservationId": null,
        "CapacityReservationSpecification":
          {
            "CapacityReservationPreference": "open",
            "CapacityReservationTarget": null,
          },
        "ClientToken": null,
        "CpuOptions": { "CoreCount": 1, "ThreadsPerCore": 1 },
        "EbsOptimized": false,
        "ElasticGpuAssociations": null,
        "ElasticInferenceAcceleratorAssociations": null,
        "EnaSupport": true,
        "HibernationOptions": { "Configured": false },
        "Hypervisor": "xen",
        "IamInstanceProfile": null,
        "ImageId": "ami-11122233344555",
        "InstanceId": "i-111222333444555",
        "InstanceLifecycle": null,
        "InstanceType": "t2.micro",
        "KernelId": null,
        "KeyName": "key-1",
        "LaunchTime": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
        "Licenses": null,
        "Monitoring": { "State": "disabled" },
        "NetworkInterfaces":
          [
            {
              "Association":
                {
                  "IpOwnerId": "amazon",
                  "PublicDnsName": "ec2-52-0-0-0.us-west-2.compute.amazonaws.com",
                  "PublicIp": "52.0.0.0",
                },
              "Attachment":
                {
                  "AttachTime": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
                  "AttachmentId": "eni-attach-111222333444",
                  "DeleteOnTermination": true,
                  "DeviceIndex": 0,
                  "Status": "attached",
                },
              "Description": "Primary network interface",
              "Groups": [{ "GroupId": "sg-111222333444", "GroupName": "base" }],
              "InterfaceType": "interface",
              "Ipv6Addresses": null,
              "MacAddress": "de:ad:be:ef:00:00",
              "NetworkInterfaceId": "eni-111222333444",
              "OwnerId": "123456789012",
              "PrivateDnsName": "ip-10-0-0-0.us-west-2.compute.internal",
              "PrivateIpAddress": "10.0.0.0",
              "PrivateIpAddresses":
                [
                  {
                    "Association":
                      {
                        "IpOwnerId": "amazon",
                        "PublicDnsName": "ec2-52-0-0-0.us-west-2.compute.amazonaws.com",
                        "PublicIp": "52.0.0.0",
                      },
                    "Primary": true,
                    "PrivateDnsName": "ip-10-0-0-o.us-west-2.compute.internal",
                    "PrivateIpAddress": "10.0.0.0",
                  },
                ],
              "SourceDestCheck": true,
              "Status": "in-use",
              "SubnetId": "subnet-111222333444",
              "VpcId": "vpc-111222333444",
            },
          ],
        "Placement":
          {
            "Affinity": null,
            "AvailabilityZone": "us-west-2b",
            "GroupName": null,
            "HostId": null,
            "PartitionNumber": null,
            "SpreadDomain": null,
            "Tenancy": "default",
          },
        "Platform": null,
        "PrivateDnsName": "ip-10-0-0-0.us-west-2.compute.internal",
        "PrivateIpAddress": "10.0.0.0",
        "ProductCodes": null,
        "PublicDnsName": "ec2-52-0-0-0.us-west-2.compute.amazonaws.com",
        "PublicIpAddress": "52.0.0.0",
        "RamdiskId": null,
        "RootDeviceName": "/dev/xvda",
        "RootDeviceType": "ebs",
        "SecurityGroups":
          [{ "GroupId": "sg-111222333444", "GroupName": "base" }],
        "SourceDestCheck": true,
        "SpotInstanceRequestId": null,
        "SriovNetSupport": null,
        "State": { "Code": 16, "Name": "running" },
        "StateReason": null,
        "StateTransitionReason": null,
        "SubnetId": "subnet-111222333",
        "Tags": { "TagOne": "True" },
        "VirtualizationType": "hvm",
        "Volumes":
          [
            {
              "Attachments":
                [
                  {
                    "AttachTime": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
                    "DeleteOnTermination": true,
                    "Device": "/dev/xvda",
                    "InstanceId": "i-111222333",
                    "State": "attached",
                    "VolumeId": "vol-111222333",
                  },
                ],
              "AvailabilityZone": "us-west-2b",
              "CreateTime": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
              "Encrypted": false,
              "Iops": 100,
              "KmsKeyId": null,
              "Size": 8,
              "SnapshotId": "snap-111222333444",
              "State": "in-use",
              "Tags": { "TagOne": "True" },
              "VolumeId": "vol-111222333444",
              "VolumeType": "gp2",
            },
          ],
        "VpcId": "vpc-111222333444",
      }
  - Name: Instance Not Running In Approved VPC But Exempted From Rule
    ExpectedResult: true
    Resource:
      {
        "AmiLaunchIndex": 0,
        "Architecture": "x86_64",
        "BlockDeviceMappings":
          [
            {
              "DeviceName": "/dev/xvda",
              "Ebs":
                {
                  "AttachTime": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
                  "DeleteOnTermination": true,
                  "Status": "attached",
                  "VolumeId": "vol-0b111222333444",
                },
            },
          ],
        "CapacityReservationId": null,
        "CapacityReservationSpecification":
          {
            "CapacityReservationPreference": "open",
            "CapacityReservationTarget": null,
          },
        "ClientToken": null,
        "CpuOptions": { "CoreCount": 1, "ThreadsPerCore": 1 },
        "EbsOptimized": false,
        "ElasticGpuAssociations": null,
        "ElasticInferenceAcceleratorAssociations": null,
        "EnaSupport": true,
        "HibernationOptions": { "Configured": false },
        "Hypervisor": "xen",
        "IamInstanceProfile": null,
        "ImageId": "ami-11122233344555",
        "InstanceId": "i-111222333444555",
        "InstanceLifecycle": null,
        "InstanceType": "t2.micro",
        "KernelId": null,
        "KeyName": "key-1",
        "LaunchTime": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
        "Licenses": null,
        "Monitoring": { "State": "disabled" },
        "NetworkInterfaces":
          [
            {
              "Association":
                {
                  "IpOwnerId": "amazon",
                  "PublicDnsName": "ec2-52-0-0-0.us-west-2.compute.amazonaws.com",
                  "PublicIp": "52.0.0.0",
                },
              "Attachment":
                {
                  "AttachTime": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
                  "AttachmentId": "eni-attach-111222333444",
                  "DeleteOnTermination": true,
                  "DeviceIndex": 0,
                  "Status": "attached",
                },
              "Description": "Primary network interface",
              "Groups": [{ "GroupId": "sg-111222333444", "GroupName": "base" }],
              "InterfaceType": "interface",
              "Ipv6Addresses": null,
              "MacAddress": "de:ad:be:ef:00:00",
              "NetworkInterfaceId": "eni-111222333444",
              "OwnerId": "123456789012",
              "PrivateDnsName": "ip-10-0-0-0.us-west-2.compute.internal",
              "PrivateIpAddress": "10.0.0.0",
              "PrivateIpAddresses":
                [
                  {
                    "Association":
                      {
                        "IpOwnerId": "amazon",
                        "PublicDnsName": "ec2-52-0-0-0.us-west-2.compute.amazonaws.com",
                        "PublicIp": "52.0.0.0",
                      },
                    "Primary": true,
                    "PrivateDnsName": "ip-10-0-0-o.us-west-2.compute.internal",
                    "PrivateIpAddress": "10.0.0.0",
                  },
                ],
              "SourceDestCheck": true,
              "Status": "in-use",
              "SubnetId": "subnet-111222333444",
              "VpcId": "vpc-111222333444",
            },
          ],
        "Placement":
          {
            "Affinity": null,
            "AvailabilityZone": "us-west-2b",
            "GroupName": null,
            "HostId": null,
            "PartitionNumber": null,
            "SpreadDomain": null,
            "Tenancy": "default",
          },
        "Platform": null,
        "PrivateDnsName": "ip-10-0-0-0.us-west-2.compute.internal",
        "PrivateIpAddress": "10.0.0.0",
        "ProductCodes": null,
        "PublicDnsName": "ec2-52-0-0-0.us-west-2.compute.amazonaws.com",
        "PublicIpAddress": "52.0.0.0",
        "RamdiskId": null,
        "RootDeviceName": "/dev/xvda",
        "RootDeviceType": "ebs",
        "SecurityGroups":
          [{ "GroupId": "sg-111222333444", "GroupName": "base" }],
        "SourceDestCheck": true,
        "SpotInstanceRequestId": null,
        "SriovNetSupport": null,
        "State": { "Code": 16, "Name": "running" },
        "StateReason": null,
        "StateTransitionReason": null,
        "SubnetId": "subnet-111222333",
        "Tags": { "KeyOne": "ValueOne" },
        "VirtualizationType": "hvm",
        "Volumes":
          [
            {
              "Attachments":
                [
                  {
                    "AttachTime": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
                    "DeleteOnTermination": true,
                    "Device": "/dev/xvda",
                    "InstanceId": "i-111222333",
                    "State": "attached",
                    "VolumeId": "vol-111222333",
                  },
                ],
              "AvailabilityZone": "us-west-2b",
              "CreateTime": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
              "Encrypted": false,
              "Iops": 100,
              "KmsKeyId": null,
              "Size": 8,
              "SnapshotId": "snap-111222333444",
              "State": "in-use",
              "Tags": { "KeyOne": "ValueOne" },
              "VolumeId": "vol-111222333444",
              "VolumeType": "gp2",
            },
          ],
        "VpcId": "vpc-111222333444",
      }
  - Name: Instance Running In Approved VPC
    ExpectedResult: true
    Resource:
      {
        "AmiLaunchIndex": 0,
        "Architecture": "x86_64",
        "BlockDeviceMappings":
          [
            {
              "DeviceName": "/dev/xvda",
              "Ebs":
                {
                  "AttachTime": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
                  "DeleteOnTermination": true,
                  "Status": "attached",
                  "VolumeId": "vol-0b111222333444",
                },
            },
          ],
        "CapacityReservationId": null,
        "CapacityReservationSpecification":
          {
            "CapacityReservationPreference": "open",
            "CapacityReservationTarget": null,
          },
        "ClientToken": null,
        "CpuOptions": { "CoreCount": 1, "ThreadsPerCore": 1 },
        "EbsOptimized": false,
        "ElasticGpuAssociations": null,
        "ElasticInferenceAcceleratorAssociations": null,
        "EnaSupport": true,
        "HibernationOptions": { "Configured": false },
        "Hypervisor": "xen",
        "IamInstanceProfile": null,
        "ImageId": "ami-11122233344555",
        "InstanceId": "i-111222333444555",
        "InstanceLifecycle": null,
        "InstanceType": "t2.micro",
        "KernelId": null,
        "KeyName": "key-1",
        "LaunchTime": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
        "Licenses": null,
        "Monitoring": { "State": "disabled" },
        "NetworkInterfaces":
          [
            {
              "Association":
                {
                  "IpOwnerId": "amazon",
                  "PublicDnsName": "ec2-52-0-0-0.us-west-2.compute.amazonaws.com",
                  "PublicIp": "52.0.0.0",
                },
              "Attachment":
                {
                  "AttachTime": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
                  "AttachmentId": "eni-attach-111222333444",
                  "DeleteOnTermination": true,
                  "DeviceIndex": 0,
                  "Status": "attached",
                },
              "Description": "Primary network interface",
              "Groups": [{ "GroupId": "sg-111222333444", "GroupName": "base" }],
              "InterfaceType": "interface",
              "Ipv6Addresses": null,
              "MacAddress": "de:ad:be:ef:00:00",
              "NetworkInterfaceId": "eni-111222333444",
              "OwnerId": "123456789012",
              "PrivateDnsName": "ip-10-0-0-0.us-west-2.compute.internal",
              "PrivateIpAddress": "10.0.0.0",
              "PrivateIpAddresses":
                [
                  {
                    "Association":
                      {
                        "IpOwnerId": "amazon",
                        "PublicDnsName": "ec2-52-0-0-0.us-west-2.compute.amazonaws.com",
                        "PublicIp": "52.0.0.0",
                      },
                    "Primary": true,
                    "PrivateDnsName": "ip-10-0-0-o.us-west-2.compute.internal",
                    "PrivateIpAddress": "10.0.0.0",
                  },
                ],
              "SourceDestCheck": true,
              "Status": "in-use",
              "SubnetId": "subnet-111222333444",
              "VpcId": "vpc-111222333444",
            },
          ],
        "Placement":
          {
            "Affinity": null,
            "AvailabilityZone": "us-west-2b",
            "GroupName": null,
            "HostId": null,
            "PartitionNumber": null,
            "SpreadDomain": null,
            "Tenancy": "default",
          },
        "Platform": null,
        "PrivateDnsName": "ip-10-0-0-0.us-west-2.compute.internal",
        "PrivateIpAddress": "10.0.0.0",
        "ProductCodes": null,
        "PublicDnsName": "ec2-52-0-0-0.us-west-2.compute.amazonaws.com",
        "PublicIpAddress": "52.0.0.0",
        "RamdiskId": null,
        "RootDeviceName": "/dev/xvda",
        "RootDeviceType": "ebs",
        "SecurityGroups":
          [{ "GroupId": "sg-111222333444", "GroupName": "base" }],
        "SourceDestCheck": true,
        "SpotInstanceRequestId": null,
        "SriovNetSupport": null,
        "State": { "Code": 16, "Name": "running" },
        "StateReason": null,
        "StateTransitionReason": null,
        "SubnetId": "subnet-111222333",
        "Tags": { "TagOne": "True" },
        "VirtualizationType": "hvm",
        "Volumes":
          [
            {
              "Attachments":
                [
                  {
                    "AttachTime": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
                    "DeleteOnTermination": true,
                    "Device": "/dev/xvda",
                    "InstanceId": "i-111222333",
                    "State": "attached",
                    "VolumeId": "vol-111222333",
                  },
                ],
              "AvailabilityZone": "us-west-2b",
              "CreateTime": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z",
              "Encrypted": false,
              "Iops": 100,
              "KmsKeyId": null,
              "Size": 8,
              "SnapshotId": "snap-111222333444",
              "State": "in-use",
              "Tags": { "TagOne": "True" },
              "VolumeId": "vol-111222333444",
              "VolumeType": "gp2",
            },
          ],
        "VpcId": "EXAMPLE-VPC-ID",
      }

Detection logic

Condition

not (Tags is_not_null or VpcId in "EXAMPLE-VPC-ID")

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
`Tags`	is_not_null	(no value, null check)
`VpcId`	eq	`EXAMPLE-VPC-ID`

`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 EC2 Instance Approved VPC

Rule body yaml

Detection logic

Condition

Exclusions

Keyboard shortcuts

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