highexperimentalLinuxAI/MLT1552.004

LLM Service Reading SSH Private Keys

Detects LLM service processes accessing SSH private key files. Reading private key material from an LLM runtime indicates potential credential theft that could enable lateral movement across infrastructure.

Updated Jan 15, 2025 · Detection Engineering Team

llmcredential-accesslinuxsshowasp-llm02

Problem Statement

SSH private keys on the LLM host can enable lateral movement across the entire infrastructure. An LLM process accessing these files indicates credential theft, whether via prompt injection or misconfigured tool access.

Sample Logs

{"timestamp":"2025-01-15T13:18:57Z","computer_name":"llm-host-01","user":"llm_svc","image":"/srv/llm/tools/file_reader.py","target_filename":"/home/opc/.ssh/id_rsa","access_type":"read"}

Required Fields

image

target_filename

user

computer_name

False Positives

·LLM tools with legitimate SSH tool-use capabilities accessing known deployment keys

Tuning Guidance

Alert should be treated as high priority with minimal tuning. Scope to .pem files if certificate-based TLS reads generate noise.