Credential Access: Search Private Keys or Passwords

This document describes a threat finding type in Security Command Center. Threat findings are generated by threat detectors when they detect a potential threat in your cloud resources. For a full list of available threat findings, see Threat findings index.

Overview

A process was detected searching for private keys, credentials, or other sensitive authentication information within the container. This behavior suggests an attempt to locate and extract stored secrets that could be used to escalate privileges, access restricted resources, or move laterally within the environment. Attackers frequently scan for SSH keys, API tokens, or database credentials to gain unauthorized access to critical systems, making this a high-severity detection that requires immediate investigation.

Cloud Run Threat Detection is the source of this finding.

How to respond

To respond to this finding, do the following:

Review finding details

  1. Open the Credential Access: Search Private Keys or Passwords finding as directed in Reviewing findings. Review the details on the Summary and JSON tabs.

  2. On the Summary tab, review the information in the following sections:

    • What was detected, especially the following fields:
      • Program binary: the absolute path of the executed binary.
      • Arguments: the arguments passed during binary execution.
    • Affected resource, especially the following fields:

  3. On the JSON tab, note the following fields.

    • resource:
      • project_display_name: the name of the project that contains the cluster.
    • finding:
      • processes:
      • binary:
        • path: the full path of the executed binary.
      • args: the arguments that were provided while executing the binary.

  4. Identify other findings that occurred at a similar time for this container. Related findings might indicate that this activity was malicious, instead of a failure to follow best practices.

  5. Review the settings of the affected container.

  6. Check the logs for the affected container.

Research attack and response methods

  1. Review MITRE ATT&CK framework entry for this finding type: Unsecured Credentials: Credentials In Files.
  2. To develop a response plan, combine your investigation results with MITRE research.

Implement your response

For response recommendations, see Respond to Cloud Run threat findings.

What's next