title: Shell Invocation via Apt - Linux
id: bb382fd5-b454-47ea-a264-1828e4c766d6
status: test
description: |
    Detects the use of the "apt" and "apt-get" commands to execute a shell or proxy commands.
    Such behavior may be associated with privilege escalation, unauthorized command execution, or to break out from restricted environments.
references:
    - https://gtfobins.github.io/gtfobins/apt/
    - https://gtfobins.github.io/gtfobins/apt-get/
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
date: 2022-12-28
modified: 2024-09-02
tags:
    - attack.discovery
    - attack.t1083
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: linux
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith:
            - '/apt'
            - '/apt-get'
        CommandLine|contains: 'APT::Update::Pre-Invoke::='
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium

title: Potential Discovery Activity Using Find - Linux
id: 8344c0e5-5783-47cc-9cf9-a0f7fd03e6cf
related:
    - id: 85de3a19-b675-4a51-bfc6-b11a5186c971
      type: similar
status: test
description: Detects usage of "find" binary in a suspicious manner to perform discovery
references:
    - https://github.com/SaiSathvik1/Linux-Privilege-Escalation-Notes
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
date: 2022-12-28
tags:
    - attack.discovery
    - attack.t1083
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: linux
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '/find'
        CommandLine|contains:
            - '-perm -4000'
            - '-perm -2000'
            - '-perm 0777'
            - '-perm -222'
            - '-perm -o w'
            - '-perm -o x'
            - '-perm -u=s'
            - '-perm -g=s'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium

title: Linux Base64 Encoded Pipe to Shell
id: ba592c6d-6888-43c3-b8c6-689b8fe47337
status: test
description: Detects suspicious process command line that uses base64 encoded input for execution with a shell
references:
    - https://github.com/arget13/DDexec
    - https://www.mandiant.com/resources/blog/barracuda-esg-exploited-globally
author: pH-T (Nextron Systems)
date: 2022-07-26
modified: 2023-06-16
tags:
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1140
logsource:
    product: linux
    category: process_creation
detection:
    selection_base64:
        CommandLine|contains: 'base64 '
    selection_exec:
        - CommandLine|contains:
              - '| bash '
              - '| sh '
              - '|bash '
              - '|sh '
        - CommandLine|endswith:
              - ' |sh'
              - '| bash'
              - '| sh'
              - '|bash'
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate administration activities
level: medium

title: Scheduled Cron Task/Job - Linux
id: 6b14bac8-3e3a-4324-8109-42f0546a347f
status: test
description: Detects abuse of the cron utility to perform task scheduling for initial or recurring execution of malicious code. Detection will focus on crontab jobs uploaded from the tmp folder.
references:
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1053.003/T1053.003.md
author: Alejandro Ortuno, oscd.community
date: 2020-10-06
modified: 2022-11-27
tags:
    - attack.execution
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.t1053.003
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: linux
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: 'crontab'
        CommandLine|contains: '/tmp/'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate administration activities
level: medium

title: Suspicious Curl File Upload - Linux
id: 00b90cc1-17ec-402c-96ad-3a8117d7a582
related:
    - id: 00bca14a-df4e-4649-9054-3f2aa676bc04
      type: derived
status: test
description: Detects a suspicious curl process start the adds a file to a web request
references:
    - https://twitter.com/d1r4c/status/1279042657508081664
    - https://medium.com/@petehouston/upload-files-with-curl-93064dcccc76
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1105/T1105.md#atomic-test-19---curl-upload-file
    - https://curl.se/docs/manpage.html
    - https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/22/i/how-malicious-actors-abuse-native-linux-tools-in-their-attacks.html
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Cedric MAURUGEON (Update)
date: 2022-09-15
modified: 2023-05-02
tags:
    - attack.exfiltration
    - attack.command-and-control
    - attack.t1567
    - attack.t1105
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: linux
detection:
    selection_img:
        Image|endswith: '/curl'
    selection_cli:
        - CommandLine|contains:
              - ' --form' # Also covers the "--form-string"
              - ' --upload-file '
              - ' --data '
              - ' --data-' # For flags like: "--data-ascii", "--data-binary", "--data-raw", "--data-urlencode"
        - CommandLine|re: '\s-[FTd]\s' # We use regex to ensure a case sensitive argument detection
    filter_optional_localhost:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - '://localhost'
            - '://127.0.0.1'
    condition: all of selection_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*
falsepositives:
    - Scripts created by developers and admins
level: medium

title: Suspicious Curl Change User Agents - Linux
id: b86d356d-6093-443d-971c-9b07db583c68
related:
    - id: 3286d37a-00fd-41c2-a624-a672dcd34e60
      type: derived
status: test
description: Detects a suspicious curl process start on linux with set useragent options
references:
    - https://curl.se/docs/manpage.html
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
date: 2022-09-15
tags:
    - attack.command-and-control
    - attack.t1071.001
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: linux
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '/curl'
        CommandLine|contains:
            - ' -A '
            - ' --user-agent '
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Scripts created by developers and admins
    - Administrative activity
level: medium

title: Suspicious Package Installed - Linux
id: 700fb7e8-2981-401c-8430-be58e189e741
status: test
description: Detects installation of suspicious packages using system installation utilities
references:
    - https://gist.githubusercontent.com/MichaelKoczwara/12faba9c061c12b5814b711166de8c2f/raw/e2068486692897b620c25fde1ea258c8218fe3d3/history.txt
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
date: 2023-01-03
modified: 2026-01-01
tags:
    - attack.defense-impairment
    - attack.t1553.004
logsource:
    product: linux
    category: process_creation
detection:
    selection_tool_apt:
        Image|endswith:
            - '/apt'
            - '/apt-get'
        CommandLine|contains: 'install'
    selection_tool_yum:
        Image|endswith: '/yum'
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'localinstall'
            - 'install'
    selection_tool_rpm:
        Image|endswith: '/rpm'
        CommandLine|contains: '-i'
    selection_tool_dpkg:
        Image|endswith: '/dpkg'
        CommandLine|contains:
            - '--install'
            - '-i'
    selection_keyword:
        CommandLine|contains:
            # Add more suspicious packages
            - 'nmap'
            - ' nc'
            - 'netcat'
            - 'wireshark'
            - 'tshark'
            - 'openconnect'
            - 'proxychains'
            - 'socat'
    condition: 1 of selection_tool_* and selection_keyword
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate administration activities
level: medium

title: Python WebServer Execution - Linux
id: 3f0f5957-04f8-4792-ad89-192b0303bde6
status: experimental
description: |
    Detects the execution of Python web servers via command line interface (CLI).
    After gaining access to target systems, adversaries may use Python's built-in HTTP server modules to quickly establish a web server without requiring additional software.
    This technique is commonly used in post-exploitation scenarios as it provides a simple method for transferring files between the compromised host and attacker-controlled systems.
references:
    - https://www.atomicredteam.io/atomic-red-team/atomics/T1048.003#atomic-test-8---python3-httpserver
    - https://docs.python.org/3/library/http.server.html
    - https://docs.python.org/2/library/simplehttpserver.html
author: Mohamed LAKRI
date: 2025-10-17
tags:
    - attack.exfiltration
    - attack.t1048.003
logsource:
    product: linux
    category: process_creation
detection:
    selection_img:
        - Image|endswith:
              - '/python'
              - '/python2'
              - '/python3'
        - Image|contains:
              - '/python2.'  # python image is always of the form ../python3.10; ../python is just a symlink
              - '/python3.'
    selection_module:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'http.server'
            - 'SimpleHTTPServer'
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Testing or development activity
level: medium

title: Linux Shell Pipe to Shell
id: 880973f3-9708-491c-a77b-2a35a1921158
status: test
description: Detects suspicious process command line that starts with a shell that executes something and finally gets piped into another shell
references:
    - Internal Research
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)
date: 2022-03-14
modified: 2022-07-26
tags:
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1140
logsource:
    product: linux
    category: process_creation
detection:
    selection:
        CommandLine|startswith:
            - 'sh -c '
            - 'bash -c '
    selection_exec:
        - CommandLine|contains:
              - '| bash '
              - '| sh '
              - '|bash '
              - '|sh '
        - CommandLine|endswith:
              - '| bash'
              - '| sh'
              - '|bash'
              - ' |sh'
    condition: all of selection*
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate software that uses these patterns
level: medium

title: PUA - TruffleHog Execution - Linux
id: d7a650c4-226c-451e-948f-cc490db506aa
related:
    - id: 44030449-b0df-4c94-aae1-502359ab28ee
      type: similar
status: experimental
description: |
    Detects execution of TruffleHog, a tool used to search for secrets in different platforms like Git, Jira, Slack, SharePoint, etc. that could be used maliciously.
    While it is a legitimate tool, intended for use in CI pipelines and security assessments,
    It was observed in the Shai-Hulud malware campaign targeting npm packages to steal sensitive information.
references:
    - https://github.com/trufflesecurity/trufflehog
    - https://www.getsafety.com/blog-posts/shai-hulud-npm-attack
author: Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems)
date: 2025-09-24
tags:
    - attack.discovery
    - attack.credential-access
    - attack.t1083
    - attack.t1552.001
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: linux
detection:
    selection_img:
        Image|endswith: '/trufflehog'
    selection_cli_platform:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - ' docker --image '
            - ' Git '
            - ' GitHub '
            - ' Jira '
            - ' Slack '
            - ' Confluence '
            - ' SharePoint '
            - ' s3 '
            - ' gcs '
    selection_cli_verified:
        CommandLine|contains: ' --results=verified'
    condition: selection_img or all of selection_cli_*
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate use of TruffleHog by security teams or developers.
level: medium

title: Suspicious Git Clone - Linux
id: cfec9d29-64ec-4a0f-9ffe-0fdb856d5446
status: test
description: Detects execution of "git" in order to clone a remote repository that contain suspicious keywords which might be suspicious
references:
    - https://gist.githubusercontent.com/MichaelKoczwara/12faba9c061c12b5814b711166de8c2f/raw/e2068486692897b620c25fde1ea258c8218fe3d3/history.txt
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
date: 2023-01-03
modified: 2023-01-05
tags:
    - attack.reconnaissance
    - attack.t1593.003
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: linux
detection:
    selection_img:
        Image|endswith: '/git'
        CommandLine|contains: ' clone '
    selection_keyword:
        CommandLine|contains:
            # Add more suspicious keywords
            - 'exploit'
            - 'Vulns'
            - 'vulnerability'
            - 'RCE'
            - 'RemoteCodeExecution'
            - 'Invoke-'
            - 'CVE-'
            - 'poc-'
            - 'ProofOfConcept'
            # Add more vuln names
            - 'proxyshell'
            - 'log4shell'
            - 'eternalblue'
            - 'eternal-blue'
            - 'MS17-'
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium

title: Potential Linux Process Code Injection Via DD Utility
id: 4cad6c64-d6df-42d6-8dae-eb78defdc415
status: test
description: Detects the injection of code by overwriting the memory map of a Linux process using the "dd" Linux command.
references:
    - https://www.aon.com/cyber-solutions/aon_cyber_labs/linux-based-inter-process-code-injection-without-ptrace2/
    - https://github.com/AonCyberLabs/Cexigua/blob/34d338620afae4c6335ba8d8d499e1d7d3d5d7b5/overwrite.sh
author: Joseph Kamau
date: 2023-12-01
tags:
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1055.009
logsource:
    product: linux
    category: process_creation
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '/dd'
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - 'of='
            - '/proc/'
            - '/mem'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium

title: Linux Base64 Encoded Shebang In CLI
id: fe2f9663-41cb-47e2-b954-8a228f3b9dff
status: test
description: Detects the presence of a base64 version of the shebang in the commandline, which could indicate a malicious payload about to be decoded
references:
    - https://www.trendmicro.com/pl_pl/research/20/i/the-evolution-of-malicious-shell-scripts.html
    - https://github.com/carlospolop/PEASS-ng/tree/master/linPEAS
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
date: 2022-09-15
tags:
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1140
logsource:
    product: linux
    category: process_creation
detection:
    selection:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - "IyEvYmluL2Jhc2" # Note: #!/bin/bash"
            - "IyEvYmluL2Rhc2" # Note: #!/bin/dash"
            - "IyEvYmluL3pza" # Note: #!/bin/zsh"
            - "IyEvYmluL2Zpc2" # Note: #!/bin/fish
            - "IyEvYmluL3No" # Note: # !/bin/sh"
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate administration activities
level: medium

title: Potential Abuse of Linux Magic System Request Key
id: ea61bb82-a5e0-42e6-8537-91d29500f1b9
status: experimental
description: |
    Detects the potential abuse of the Linux Magic SysRq (System Request) key by adversaries with root or sufficient privileges
    to silently manipulate or destabilize a system. By writing to /proc/sysrq-trigger, they can crash the system, kill processes,
    or disrupt forensic analysis—all while bypassing standard logging. Though intended for recovery and debugging, SysRq can be
    misused as a stealthy post-exploitation tool. It is controlled via /proc/sys/kernel/sysrq or permanently through /etc/sysctl.conf.
references:
    - https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/v4.10/_sources/admin-guide/sysrq.txt
    - https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/red_hat_enterprise_linux/4/html/reference_guide/s3-proc-sys-kernel
    - https://www.splunk.com/en_us/blog/security/threat-update-awfulshred-script-wiper.html
author: Milad Cheraghi
date: 2025-05-23
tags:
    - attack.execution
    - attack.t1059.004
    - attack.impact
    - attack.t1529
    - attack.t1489
    - attack.t1499
logsource:
    product: linux
    service: auditd
    definition: |
        Required auditd configuration:
        -w /proc/sysrq-trigger -p wa -k sysrq
        -w /proc/sys/kernel/sysrq -p wa -k sysrq
detection:
    selection:
        type: 'PATH'
        name|endswith:
            # Enable
            - '/sysrq'
            - '/sysctl.conf'
            # Execute
            - '/sysrq-trigger'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate administrative activity
level: medium

title: File Time Attribute Change - Linux
id: b3cec4e7-6901-4b0d-a02d-8ab2d8eb818b
status: test
description: Detect file time attribute change to hide new or changes to existing files.
references:
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1070.006/T1070.006.md
author: 'Igor Fits, oscd.community'
date: 2020-10-15
modified: 2022-11-28
tags:
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1070.006
logsource:
    product: linux
    service: auditd
detection:
    execve:
        type: 'EXECVE'
    touch:
        - 'touch'
    selection2:
        - '-t'
        - '-acmr'
        - '-d'
        - '-r'
    condition: execve and touch and selection2
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium
simulation:
    - type: atomic-red-team
      name: Set a file's access timestamp
      technique: T1070.006
      atomic_guid: 5f9113d5-ed75-47ed-ba23-ea3573d05810
    - type: atomic-red-team
      name: Set a file's modification timestamp
      technique: T1070.006
      atomic_guid: 20ef1523-8758-4898-b5a2-d026cc3d2c52
    - type: atomic-red-team
      name: Modify file timestamps using reference file
      technique: T1070.006
      atomic_guid: 631ea661-d661-44b0-abdb-7a7f3fc08e50