---
title: >-
  AWS IAM user can update a login profile for an IAM user with administrative
  privileges
description: Datadog, the leading service for cloud-scale monitoring.
breadcrumbs: >-
  Docs > Datadog Security > OOTB Rules > AWS IAM user can update a login profile
  for an IAM user with administrative privileges
---

# AWS IAM user can update a login profile for an IAM user with administrative privileges
 
## Description{% #description %}

In AWS environments, some IAM permissions can lead to privilege escalation, where an identity can gain access to another more privileged identity. This rule identifies when a given user can use `iam:UpdateLoginProfile` to modify an existing login profile for an IAM user with administrative privileges. By creating a new login profile for another user, an adversary could log in as that user and leverage their privileges.

## Rationale{% #rationale %}

In this scenario, there exists at least one privileged IAM user in the account who has a login profile set. The identity which triggered this detection can modify a login profile for that IAM user, giving them access to the privileges of the compromised user.

## Remediation{% #remediation %}

Datadog recommends reducing the permissions attached to an IAM user to the minimum necessary for the user to fulfill their function. To remediate the issue, either remove the `iam:UpdateLoginProfile` permission entirely or modify the resource the IAM policy specifies.