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العربيةDelete VPC flow logs
Can delete VPC flow logs, blinding network telemetry.
Grants escalation on its own.
ec2:DeleteFlowLogsOn its own, ec2:DeleteFlowLogs can delete VPC flow logs, blinding network telemetry. On a wide resource scope that alone reaches blinded detection or removed guardrails.
Why it is dangerous
A principal can call ec2:DeleteFlowLogs to remove VPC/subnet/ENI flow logs, blinding network telemetry.
In MITRE ATT&CK terms this maps to T1562.008, Impair Defenses: Disable or Modify Cloud Logs, under the defense evasion tactic. AWS records it in CloudTrail as DeleteFlowLogs. The call shows up in CloudTrail but blends into normal administration, so it needs a rule to stand out.
Detection
DeleteFlowLogsPrerequisites
ec2:DeleteFlowLogs on the flow log.
Tactic
Defense Evasion
A control that would remove it: Restrict ec2:DeleteFlowLogs to a break-glass role.
Whether to apply it depends on how the permission is used in your environment, so it is a business decision rather than an automatic fix. The same permission can be load-bearing in one account and pure risk in another.
Pathbreak confirms whether this path resolves in your account, ranks it against the others by how much it opens up, and uses your threat model and business context to show which paths are worth cutting.
Questions
What does ec2:DeleteFlowLogs allow?
Can delete VPC flow logs, blinding network telemetry.
Can ec2:DeleteFlowLogs escalate privileges on its own?
Yes. Held on a broad enough resource it reaches blinded detection or removed guardrails with no other permission.
How is delete VPC flow logs detected?
Watch for DeleteFlowLogs in CloudTrail. The call shows up in CloudTrail but blends into normal administration, so it needs a rule to stand out.
How do you break this path?
A control that would remove it is: Restrict ec2:DeleteFlowLogs to a break-glass role. Whether to apply it depends on how the permission is used in your account, so it is a business decision rather than an automatic fix.
Which MITRE ATT&CK technique is this?
T1562.008, Impair Defenses: Disable or Modify Cloud Logs, under the defense evasion tactic.
Related paths
References
Find this in your own account
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