Azure VM Command Executed

Severity: informational
Log types: Azure.MonitorActivity
Tags: AZT301, AZT301.1, AZT301.2, AZT301.3, AZT301.4, AZT301.5, AZT301.6, AZT301.7, Execution, Cloud Administration Command
Reference: https://microsoft.github.io/Azure-Threat-Research-Matrix/Execution/AZT301/AZT301/
Source: github.com/panther-labs/panther-analysis

Detects when commands are executed on Azure virtual machines through multiple execution methods including RunCommand, VM extensions (CustomScriptExtension, DSC), gallery applications, AKS command invoke, VMSS run commands, and serial console access. Adversaries may abuse these capabilities to execute unauthorized commands, deploy malware, establish persistence, or move laterally within the environment.

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

Tactic	Techniques
Execution	`T1651` Cloud Administration Command

Rule body yaml

AnalysisType: rule
Filename: azure_vm_command_executed.py
RuleID: "Azure.MonitorActivity.Compute.VMCommandExecuted"
DisplayName: "Azure VM Command Executed"
Enabled: true
LogTypes:
  - Azure.MonitorActivity
Severity: Info
Description: >
  Detects when commands are executed on Azure virtual machines through multiple execution methods
  including RunCommand, VM extensions (CustomScriptExtension, DSC), gallery applications, AKS command
  invoke, VMSS run commands, and serial console access. Adversaries may abuse these capabilities to 
  execute unauthorized commands, deploy malware, establish persistence, or move laterally within the environment.
Reports:
  MITRE ATT&CK:
    - TA0002:T1651 # Execution: Cloud Administration Command
Tags:
  - AZT301
  - AZT301.1
  - AZT301.2
  - AZT301.3
  - AZT301.4
  - AZT301.5
  - AZT301.6
  - AZT301.7
  - Execution
  - Cloud Administration Command
Runbook: |
  1. Query Azure Monitor Activity logs for all VM-related command execution operations (RunCommand, extensions, AKS commands, VMSS commands, serial console) by the callerIpAddress in the 24 hours before and after the alert to identify the full scope of activity
  2. Check if the same callerIpAddress has performed other suspicious activities such as reconnaissance (reading VMs, IPs, NSGs) or privilege escalation in the 6 hours before and after the alert
  3. Verify if the callerIpAddress and caller identity have a history of legitimate VM administration in the past 90 days to distinguish between authorized admin activity and potential compromise
Reference: https://microsoft.github.io/Azure-Threat-Research-Matrix/Execution/AZT301/AZT301/
SummaryAttributes:
  - resourceId
  - callerIpAddress
  - correlationId
Tests:
  - Name: VM RunCommand Executed Successfully
    ExpectedResult: true
    Log:
      {
        "time": "2025-12-22T10:30:00.0000000Z",
        "resourceId": "/subscriptions/12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789abc/resourceGroups/compute-rg/providers/Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/prod-vm-01",
        "operationName": "MICROSOFT.COMPUTE/VIRTUALMACHINES/RUNCOMMAND/ACTION",
        "operationVersion": "2021-11-01",
        "category": "Administrative",
        "resultType": "Success",
        "resultSignature": "200",
        "callerIpAddress": "1.1.1.1",
        "correlationId": "a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890",
        "level": "Informational",
        "location": "eastus",
        "tenantId": "87654321-4321-4321-4321-111111111111"
      }
  - Name: VM RunCommand Case Insensitive
    ExpectedResult: true
    Log:
      {
        "time": "2025-12-22T11:15:00.0000000Z",
        "resourceId": "/subscriptions/11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111/resourceGroups/prod-compute/providers/Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/web-server-02",
        "operationName": "microsoft.compute/virtualmachines/runcommand/action",
        "category": "Administrative",
        "resultType": "Succeeded",
        "callerIpAddress": "2.2.2.2",
        "correlationId": "b2c3d4e5-f6a7-8901-bcde-f23456789012",
        "level": "Information",
        "location": "westeurope",
        "tenantId": "22222222-2222-2222-2222-222222222222"
      }
  - Name: VM Extension Write (CustomScript/DSC)
    ExpectedResult: true
    Log:
      {
        "time": "2025-12-22T12:00:00.0000000Z",
        "resourceId": "/subscriptions/22222222-2222-2222-2222-222222222222/resourceGroups/compute-rg/providers/Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/db-vm/extensions/customScript",
        "operationName": "MICROSOFT.COMPUTE/VIRTUALMACHINES/EXTENSIONS/WRITE",
        "category": "Administrative",
        "resultType": "Success",
        "callerIpAddress": "3.3.3.3",
        "correlationId": "c3d4e5f6-a7b8-9012-cdef-222222222222",
        "level": "Informational",
        "location": "centralus",
        "tenantId": "22222222-2222-2222-2222-222222222222"
      }
  - Name: Gallery Application Version Write
    ExpectedResult: true
    Log:
      {
        "time": "2025-12-22T13:00:00.0000000Z",
        "resourceId": "/subscriptions/33333333-3333-3333-3333-333333333333/resourceGroups/gallery-rg/providers/Microsoft.Compute/galleries/myGallery/applications/maliciousApp/versions/1.0.0",
        "operationName": "MICROSOFT.COMPUTE/GALLERIES/APPLICATIONS/VERSIONS/WRITE",
        "category": "Administrative",
        "resultType": "Success",
        "callerIpAddress": "4.4.4.4",
        "correlationId": "d4e5f6a7-b8c9-0123-def0-333333333333",
        "level": "Informational",
        "location": "westus",
        "tenantId": "33333333-3333-3333-3333-333333333333"
      }
  - Name: AKS RunCommand Executed
    ExpectedResult: true
    Log:
      {
        "time": "2025-12-22T14:00:00.0000000Z",
        "resourceId": "/subscriptions/44444444-4444-4444-4444-444444444444/resourceGroups/aks-rg/providers/Microsoft.ContainerService/managedClusters/prod-aks-cluster",
        "operationName": "MICROSOFT.CONTAINERSERVICE/MANAGEDCLUSTERS/RUNCOMMAND/ACTION",
        "category": "Administrative",
        "resultType": "Success",
        "callerIpAddress": "5.5.5.5",
        "correlationId": "e5f6a7b8-c9d0-1234-ef01-444444444444",
        "level": "Informational",
        "location": "eastus2",
        "tenantId": "44444444-4444-4444-4444-444444444444"
      }
  - Name: VMSS RunCommand Executed
    ExpectedResult: true
    Log:
      {
        "time": "2025-12-22T15:00:00.0000000Z",
        "resourceId": "/subscriptions/55555555-5555-5555-5555-555555555555/resourceGroups/vmss-rg/providers/Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachineScaleSets/web-vmss/virtualMachines/0",
        "operationName": "MICROSOFT.COMPUTE/VIRTUALMACHINESCALESETS/VIRTUALMACHINES/RUNCOMMAND/ACTION",
        "category": "Administrative",
        "resultType": "Success",
        "callerIpAddress": "6.6.6.6",
        "correlationId": "f6a7b8c9-d0e1-2345-f012-555555555555",
        "level": "Informational",
        "location": "northeurope",
        "tenantId": "55555555-5555-5555-5555-555555555555"
      }
  - Name: Serial Console Connect
    ExpectedResult: true
    Log:
      {
        "time": "2025-12-22T16:00:00.0000000Z",
        "resourceId": "/subscriptions/66666666-6666-6666-6666-666666666666/resourceGroups/compute-rg/providers/Microsoft.SerialConsole/serialPorts/0",
        "operationName": "MICROSOFT.SERIALCONSOLE/SERIALPORTS/CONNECT/ACTION",
        "category": "Administrative",
        "resultType": "Success",
        "callerIpAddress": "7.7.7.7",
        "correlationId": "a7b8c9d0-e1f2-3456-0123-666666666666",
        "level": "Informational",
        "location": "southcentralus",
        "tenantId": "66666666-6666-6666-6666-666666666666"
      }
  - Name: Different Operation
    ExpectedResult: false
    Log:
      {
        "time": "2025-12-22T18:00:00.0000000Z",
        "resourceId": "/subscriptions/88888888-8888-8888-8888-888888888888/resourceGroups/compute-rg/providers/Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/app-vm",
        "operationName": "MICROSOFT.COMPUTE/VIRTUALMACHINES/WRITE",
        "category": "Administrative",
        "resultType": "Success",
        "callerIpAddress": "9.9.9.9",
        "correlationId": "c9d0e1f2-a3b4-5678-2345-888888888888",
        "tenantId": "88888888-8888-8888-8888-888888888888"
      }

Detection logic

Condition

resultType in ["Success", "Succeeded"]

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

Indicators

Each row is a field, operator, and value that the rule matches. The corpus column counts how many other rules in the catalog look for the same combination: high numbers point to widely-used, community-vetted indicators. Blank or 1 shows that the indicator is specific to this rule.

Field	Kind	Values
`resultType`	in	`Succeeded` `Success`

`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)