Hijacking Azure Machine Learning Notebooks (via Storage Accounts)

Hijacking Azure Machine Learning Notebooks (via Storage Accounts)
The article discusses vulnerabilities in the Azure Machine Learning (AML) service, particularly focusing on excessive Storage Account permissions that allow code execution in user-created Jupyter notebooks. It highlights a previously remediated privilege escalation vulnerability and introduces a tool for dumping stored credentials from AML workspaces. Affected: Azure Machine Learning

Keypoints :

  • The Azure Machine Learning (AML) service is used for data processing and integrates with other Azure services.
  • Security researchers have identified multiple vulnerabilities within the AML service.
  • Excessive permissions on Storage Accounts can allow attackers to modify notebooks and execute code without user interaction.
  • A previously existing vulnerability allowed privilege escalation from the Reader role to code execution.
  • A tool was developed to automate the extraction of stored credential data from AML workspaces.

MITRE Techniques :

  • TA0001 – Initial Access: Exploiting excessive Storage Account permissions to gain access to Jupyter notebooks.
  • TA0002 – Execution: Modifying notebooks to execute arbitrary code through the AML service.
  • TA0003 – Persistence: Injecting code into notebooks to maintain access across executions.
  • TA0004 – Credential Access: Using the Get-AzMachineLearningCredentials tool to dump stored credentials from AML workspaces.
  • TA0005 – Privilege Escalation: Exploiting the Reader role vulnerability to gain higher privileges.

Indicator of Compromise :

  • [Others IoC] Azure Machine Learning service notebooks being modified.
  • [Others IoC] Unauthorized access attempts to Azure Storage Accounts.
  • [Others IoC] Use of the Get-AzMachineLearningCredentials tool.
  • [Others IoC] Anomalous modifications to .ipynb files in Storage Accounts.
  • Check the article for all found IoCs.


Full Research: https://www.netspi.com/blog/technical-blog/cloud-pentesting/hijacking-azure-machine-learning-notebooks/