> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/analytics-alerts/alerts-by-name/suspicious-access-to-cloud-credential-files.md).
# Suspicious access to cloud credential files
### Synopsis
| Field | Value |
| -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| Activation Period | 14 Days |
| Training Period | 30 Days |
| Test Period | 10 Minutes |
| Deduplication Period | 1 Day |
| Required Data | XDR Agent with eXtended Threat Hunting (XTH) |
| Detection Modules | Cloud |
| Detector Tags | Cloud Lateral Movement Analytics |
| ATT\&CK Tactic | Credential Access (TA0006) |
| ATT\&CK Technique | Unsecured Credentials: Credentials In Files (T1552.001) |
| Severity | Informational |
### Description
A process accessed multiple cloud credential files, which may indicate a credential theft activity.
### Attacker's Goals
Gain initial access to the cloud environment.
### Investigative actions
* Verify if the executing process is doing more suspicious activities.
* Verify if the exposed credential files were used to access to the cloud environment.
* Verify which operations were used against the cloud environment with the exposed credentials.
### Variations
Suspicious access to cloud credential files of various cloud providers within a cloud instance
**Synopsis**
| Field | Value |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| ATT\&CK Tactic | Credential Access (TA0006) |
| ATT\&CK Technique | Unsecured Credentials: Credentials In Files (T1552.001) |
| Severity | Low |
**Description**
A process accessed multiple cloud credential files, which may indicate a credential theft activity.
**Attacker's Goals**
Gain initial access to the cloud environment.
**Investigative actions**
* Verify if the executing process is doing more suspicious activities.
* Verify if the exposed credential files were used to access to the cloud environment.
* Verify which operations were used against the cloud environment with the exposed credentials.
Suspicious access to cloud credential files within a cloud instance
**Synopsis**
| Field | Value |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| ATT\&CK Tactic | Credential Access (TA0006) |
| ATT\&CK Technique | Unsecured Credentials: Credentials In Files (T1552.001) |
| Severity | Informational |
**Description**
A process accessed multiple cloud credential files, which may indicate a credential theft activity.
**Attacker's Goals**
Gain initial access to the cloud environment.
**Investigative actions**
* Verify if the executing process is doing more suspicious activities.
* Verify if the exposed credential files were used to access to the cloud environment.
* Verify which operations were used against the cloud environment with the exposed credentials.
Suspicious access to Windows cloud credential files of various cloud providers
**Synopsis**
| Field | Value |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| ATT\&CK Tactic | Credential Access (TA0006) |
| ATT\&CK Technique | Unsecured Credentials: Credentials In Files (T1552.001) |
| Severity | Medium |
**Description**
A process accessed multiple cloud credential files, which may indicate a credential theft activity.
**Attacker's Goals**
Gain initial access to the cloud environment.
**Investigative actions**
* Verify if the executing process is doing more suspicious activities.
* Verify if the exposed credential files were used to access to the cloud environment.
* Verify which operations were used against the cloud environment with the exposed credentials.
Suspicious access to Windows cloud credential files by an unusual process
**Synopsis**
| Field | Value |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| ATT\&CK Tactic | Credential Access (TA0006) |
| ATT\&CK Technique | Unsecured Credentials: Credentials In Files (T1552.001) |
| Severity | Low |
**Description**
A process accessed multiple cloud credential files, which may indicate a credential theft activity.
**Attacker's Goals**
Gain initial access to the cloud environment.
**Investigative actions**
* Verify if the executing process is doing more suspicious activities.
* Verify if the exposed credential files were used to access to the cloud environment.
* Verify which operations were used against the cloud environment with the exposed credentials.
Suspicious access to cloud credential files of various cloud providers
**Synopsis**
| Field | Value |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| ATT\&CK Tactic | Credential Access (TA0006) |
| ATT\&CK Technique | Unsecured Credentials: Credentials In Files (T1552.001) |
| Severity | Medium |
**Description**
A process accessed multiple cloud credential files, which may indicate a credential theft activity.
**Attacker's Goals**
Gain initial access to the cloud environment.
**Investigative actions**
* Verify if the executing process is doing more suspicious activities.
* Verify if the exposed credential files were used to access to the cloud environment.
* Verify which operations were used against the cloud environment with the exposed credentials.
Suspicious access to cloud credential files by an unusual process
**Synopsis**
| Field | Value |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| ATT\&CK Tactic | Credential Access (TA0006) |
| ATT\&CK Technique | Unsecured Credentials: Credentials In Files (T1552.001) |
| Severity | Low |
**Description**
A process accessed multiple cloud credential files, which may indicate a credential theft activity.
**Attacker's Goals**
Gain initial access to the cloud environment.
**Investigative actions**
* Verify if the executing process is doing more suspicious activities.
* Verify if the exposed credential files were used to access to the cloud environment.
* Verify which operations were used against the cloud environment with the exposed credentials.
---
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