Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/delete
Azure
Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/delete
Event
Permanently deletes an Azure virtual machine.
Security Context
- Impairing defenses allows adversaries to operate freely by removing security controls that would otherwise detect or block their activity.
- Destructive deletion of cloud resources can cause significant operational disruption, data loss, and extended recovery times.
Log Source
Azure Activity Log
Sample Event
Adversarial. Compromised user draco@fantasticlogs.cloud deletes the production VM vm-demiguise-infer-001 after exfiltrating its disk via snapshot/SAS. Deleting the VM both impacts operations (T1485) and removes forensic evidence in the OS-disk’s running state (T1685) — though the persistent OS-disk resource remains unless forceDeletion=true and the disk has the same RG (which it doesn’t here, by default).
{ "authorization": { "action": "Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/delete", "scope": "/subscriptions/20000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000001/resourceGroups/rg-fantasticlogs-prod/providers/Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/vm-demiguise-infer-001" }, "caller": "draco@fantasticlogs.cloud", "channels": "Operation", "claims": { "aud": "https://management.core.windows.net/", "iss": "https://sts.windows.net/10000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000001/", "appid": "04b07795-8ddb-461a-bbee-02f9e1bf7b46", "ipaddr": "203.0.113.66", "name": "Draco Malfoy", "http://schemas.microsoft.com/identity/claims/objectidentifier": "30000000-0000-4000-8000-001010011010", "http://schemas.microsoft.com/identity/claims/tenantid": "10000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000001", "http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/ws/2005/05/identity/claims/upn": "draco@fantasticlogs.cloud" }, "correlationId": "90000000-0000-4000-8000-000010101000", "description": "", "eventDataId": "90000000-0000-4000-8000-000010101001", "eventName": { "value": "EndRequest", "localizedValue": "End request" }, "category": { "value": "Administrative", "localizedValue": "Administrative" }, "eventTimestamp": "2026-04-15T22:08:42.7172938Z", "id": "/subscriptions/20000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000001/resourceGroups/rg-fantasticlogs-prod/providers/Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/vm-demiguise-infer-001/events/90000000-0000-4000-8000-000010101001/ticks/638798263227172938", "level": "Informational", "operationId": "90000000-0000-4000-8000-000010101010", "operationName": { "value": "Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/delete", "localizedValue": "Delete Virtual Machine" }, "resourceGroupName": "rg-fantasticlogs-prod", "resourceProviderName": { "value": "Microsoft.Compute", "localizedValue": "Microsoft.Compute" }, "resourceType": { "value": "Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines", "localizedValue": "Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines" }, "resourceId": "/subscriptions/20000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000001/resourceGroups/rg-fantasticlogs-prod/providers/Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/vm-demiguise-infer-001", "status": { "value": "Succeeded", "localizedValue": "Succeeded" }, "subStatus": { "value": "Accepted", "localizedValue": "Accepted (HTTP Status Code: 202)" }, "submissionTimestamp": "2026-04-15T22:08:43.0218732Z", "subscriptionId": "20000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000001", "tenantId": "10000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000001", "properties": { "statusCode": "Accepted", "serviceRequestId": null, "eventCategory": "Administrative", "entity": "/subscriptions/20000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000001/resourceGroups/rg-fantasticlogs-prod/providers/Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/vm-demiguise-infer-001", "message": "Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/delete", "hierarchy": "10000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000001/20000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000001" }, "relatedEvents": [], "httpRequest": { "clientRequestId": "90000000-0000-4000-8000-000010101011", "clientIpAddress": "203.0.113.66", "method": "DELETE", "url": "https://management.azure.com/subscriptions/20000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000001/resourceGroups/rg-fantasticlogs-prod/providers/Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/vm-demiguise-infer-001?api-version=2024-03-01" }, "identity": null}MITRE ATT&CK Mapping
Tactics: Impact Defense Impairment
Techniques:
- T1485 — Data Destruction — Adversaries may destroy data and files on specific systems or in large numbers on a network to interrupt availability to systems, services, and network resources. Data destruction is likely to render stored data irrecoverable by forensic techniques through overwriting files or data on local and r...
- T1578.003 — Delete Cloud Instance — An adversary may delete a cloud instance after they have performed malicious activities in an attempt to evade detection and remove evidence of their presence. Deleting an instance or virtual machine can remove valuable forensic artifacts and other evidence of suspicious behavior if the instance...