users.importSshPublicKey

CSP: GCP

Tactics:

Persistence Lateral Movement

Techniques:

T1098.004T1021.004

Tags:

GCP OS Login

Event

Imports an SSH public key into a user’s GCP OS Login profile, enabling SSH access to Compute Engine instances.

Security Context

• Creating long-lived access keys or credentials provides persistent access that survives password resets and session revocations.
• SSH-based lateral movement provides adversaries with interactive command-line access to other compute instances in the environment.

Log Source

Cloud Audit Logs

Sample Event

MITRE ATT&CK Mapping

Tactics: Persistence Lateral Movement

Techniques:

• T1098.004 — SSH Authorized Keys — Adversaries may modify the SSH <code>authorized_keys</code> file to maintain persistence on a victim host. Linux distributions, macOS, and ESXi hypervisors commonly use key-based authentication to secure the authentication process of SSH sessions for remote management.
• T1021.004 — SSH — Adversaries may use Valid Accounts to log into remote machines using Secure Shell (SSH). The adversary may then perform actions as the logged-on user.