Modify Cloud Compute Infrastructure: Create Cloud Instance
- ID
- T1578.002
- Tactics
- TA0112 Defense Impairment
- Sub-technique of
- T1578 Modify Cloud Compute Infrastructure
- Platforms
- IaaS
- Data sources
- Instance Start, Instance Metadata, Instance Creation
- Source
- attack.mitre.org
- MITRE last modified
- 12 May 2026
An adversary may create a new instance or virtual machine (VM) within the compute service of a cloud account to evade defenses. Creating a new instance may allow an adversary to bypass firewall rules and permissions that exist on instances currently residing within an account. An adversary may Create Snapshot of one or more volumes in an account, create a new instance, mount the snapshots, and then apply a less restrictive security policy to collect Data from Local System or for Remote Data Staging.[1]
Creating a new instance may also allow an adversary to carry out malicious activity within an environment without affecting the execution of current running instances.
Detection
- DET0449 Detection Strategy for Modify Cloud Compute Infrastructure: Create Cloud Instance
Data components: Instance Start, Instance Metadata, Instance Creation
Mitigations (2)
- M1018 User Account Management
Limit permissions for creating new instances in accordance with least privilege. Organizations should limit the number of users within the organization with an IAM role that has administrative privileges, strive to reduce all permanent privileged role assignments, and conduct periodic entitlement reviews on IAM users, roles and policies.[1]
- M1047 Audit
Routinely check user permissions to ensure only the expected users have the capability to create new instances.