DeleteUser
AWS
DeleteUser
Event
Permanently deletes an IAM user; all attached policies, group memberships, and keys must be removed first.
Security Context
- Impairing defenses allows adversaries to operate freely by removing security controls that would otherwise detect or block their activity.
- Resource destruction eliminates data and services that may be difficult or impossible to recover, especially without adequate backups.
Log Source
CloudTrail
Sample Event
Adversarial. Draco — having already removed Hermione’s login profile (DeleteLoginProfile), her access keys (DeleteAccessKey), and her MFA — finishes the lockout by deleting her IAM user entirely. T1531 + T1685. The chain (LoginProfile → AccessKey → DeactivateMFA → DeleteVirtualMFADevice → DetachUserPolicy → DeleteUser) is highly characteristic of account-removal activity.
{ "eventVersion": "1.09", "userIdentity": { "type": "IAMUser", "principalId": "AIDADRAC0MALF0YBADGY", "arn": "arn:aws:iam::555123456789:user/draco", "accountId": "555123456789", "accessKeyId": "ASIADRAC0MALF0YEXAMP5", "userName": "draco", "sessionContext": { "attributes": { "creationDate": "2026-04-15T19:02:11Z", "mfaAuthenticated": "false" } } }, "eventTime": "2026-04-15T20:01:48Z", "eventSource": "iam.amazonaws.com", "eventName": "DeleteUser", "awsRegion": "us-east-1", "sourceIPAddress": "203.0.113.66", "userAgent": "aws-cli/1.18.147 Python/3.7.10 Linux/5.4.0-1045-aws botocore/1.18.6", "requestParameters": { "userName": "hermione" }, "responseElements": null, "requestID": "90000000-0000-4000-8000-000100000000", "eventID": "90000000-0000-4000-8000-000100000001", "readOnly": false, "eventType": "AwsApiCall", "managementEvent": true, "recipientAccountId": "555123456789", "eventCategory": "Management", "tlsDetails": { "tlsVersion": "TLSv1.3", "cipherSuite": "TLS_AES_128_GCM_SHA256", "clientProvidedHostHeader": "iam.amazonaws.com" }}MITRE ATT&CK Mapping
Tactics: Impact
Techniques:
- T1531 — Account Access Removal — Adversaries may interrupt availability of system and network resources by inhibiting access to accounts utilized by legitimate users. Accounts may be deleted, locked, or manipulated (ex: changed credentials, revoked permissions for SaaS platforms such as Sharepoint) to remove access to accounts....