title: ESXi Admin Permission Assigned To Account Via ESXCLI
id: 9691f58d-92c1-4416-8bf3-2edd753ec9cf
status: test
description: Detects execution of the "esxcli" command with the "system" and "permission" flags in order to assign admin permissions to an account.
references:
    - https://developer.broadcom.com/xapis/esxcli-command-reference/7.0.0/namespace/esxcli_system.html
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
date: 2023-09-04
tags:
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.execution
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.t1059.012
    - attack.t1098
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: linux
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '/esxcli'
        CommandLine|contains: 'system'
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - ' permission '
            - ' set'
            - 'Admin'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate administration activities
level: high

title: ESXi Account Creation Via ESXCLI
id: b28e4eb3-8bbc-4f0c-819f-edfe8e2f25db
status: test
description: Detects user account creation on ESXi system via esxcli
references:
    - https://developer.broadcom.com/xapis/esxcli-command-reference/7.0.0/namespace/esxcli_system.html
author: Cedric Maurugeon
date: 2023-08-22
tags:
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.execution
    - attack.t1136
    - attack.t1059.012
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: linux
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '/esxcli'
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - 'system '
            - 'account '
            - 'add '
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate administration activities
level: medium

title: ESXi Network Configuration Discovery Via ESXCLI
id: 33e814e0-1f00-4e43-9c34-31fb7ae2b174
status: test
description: Detects execution of the "esxcli" command with the "network" flag in order to retrieve information about the network configuration.
references:
    - https://www.crowdstrike.com/blog/hypervisor-jackpotting-ecrime-actors-increase-targeting-of-esxi-servers/
    - https://developer.broadcom.com/xapis/esxcli-command-reference/7.0.0/namespace/esxcli_network.html
author: Cedric Maurugeon
date: 2023-09-04
tags:
    - attack.discovery
    - attack.execution
    - attack.t1033
    - attack.t1007
    - attack.t1059.012
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: linux
detection:
    selection_img:
        Image|endswith: '/esxcli'
        CommandLine|contains: 'network'
    selection_cli:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - ' get'
            - ' list'
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate administration activities
# Note: level can be reduced to low in some envs
level: medium

title: ESXi Storage Information Discovery Via ESXCLI
id: f41dada5-3f56-4232-8503-3fb7f9cf2d60
status: test
description: Detects execution of the "esxcli" command with the "storage" flag in order to retrieve information about the storage status and other related information. Seen used by malware such as DarkSide and LockBit.
references:
    - https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/21/e/darkside-linux-vms-targeted.html
    - https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/22/a/analysis-and-Impact-of-lockbit-ransomwares-first-linux-and-vmware-esxi-variant.html
    - https://developer.broadcom.com/xapis/esxcli-command-reference/7.0.0/namespace/esxcli_storage.html
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Cedric Maurugeon
date: 2023-09-04
tags:
    - attack.discovery
    - attack.execution
    - attack.t1033
    - attack.t1007
    - attack.t1059.012
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: linux
detection:
    selection_img:
        Image|endswith: '/esxcli'
        CommandLine|contains: 'storage'
    selection_cli:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - ' get'
            - ' list'
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate administration activities
# Note: level can be reduced to low in some envs
level: medium

title: ESXi Syslog Configuration Change Via ESXCLI
id: 38eb1dbb-011f-40b1-a126-cf03a0210563
status: test
description: Detects changes to the ESXi syslog configuration via "esxcli"
references:
    - https://support.solarwinds.com/SuccessCenter/s/article/Configure-ESXi-Syslog-to-LEM?language=en_US
    - https://developer.broadcom.com/xapis/esxcli-command-reference/7.0.0/namespace/esxcli_system.html
author: Cedric Maurugeon
date: 2023-09-04
tags:
    - attack.execution
    - attack.defense-impairment
    - attack.t1685
    - attack.t1690
    - attack.t1059.012
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: linux
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '/esxcli'
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - 'system'
            - 'syslog'
            - 'config'
        CommandLine|contains: ' set'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate administrative activities
level: medium

title: ESXi System Information Discovery Via ESXCLI
id: e80273e1-9faf-40bc-bd85-dbaff104c4e9
status: test
description: Detects execution of the "esxcli" command with the "system" flag in order to retrieve information about the different component of the system. Such as accounts, modules, NTP, etc.
references:
    - https://www.crowdstrike.com/blog/hypervisor-jackpotting-ecrime-actors-increase-targeting-of-esxi-servers/
    - https://developer.broadcom.com/xapis/esxcli-command-reference/7.0.0/namespace/esxcli_system.html
author: Cedric Maurugeon
date: 2023-09-04
tags:
    - attack.discovery
    - attack.execution
    - attack.t1033
    - attack.t1007
    - attack.t1059.012
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: linux
detection:
    selection_img:
        Image|endswith: '/esxcli'
        CommandLine|contains: 'system'
    selection_cli:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - ' get'
            - ' list'
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate administration activities
level: medium

title: ESXi VM Kill Via ESXCLI
id: 2992ac4d-31e9-4325-99f2-b18a73221bb2
status: test
description: Detects execution of the "esxcli" command with the "vm" and "kill" flag in order to kill/shutdown a specific VM.
references:
    - https://www.crowdstrike.com/blog/hypervisor-jackpotting-ecrime-actors-increase-targeting-of-esxi-servers/
    - https://developer.broadcom.com/xapis/esxcli-command-reference/7.0.0/namespace/esxcli_vm.html
    - https://www.secuinfra.com/en/techtalk/hide-your-hypervisor-analysis-of-esxiargs-ransomware/
    - https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/22/e/new-linux-based-ransomware-cheerscrypt-targets-exsi-devices.html
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Cedric Maurugeon
date: 2023-09-04
tags:
    - attack.execution
    - attack.impact
    - attack.t1059.012
    - attack.t1529
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: linux
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '/esxcli'
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - 'vm process'
            - 'kill'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate administration activities
level: medium

title: ESXi VM List Discovery Via ESXCLI
id: 5f1573a7-363b-4114-9208-ad7a61de46eb
status: test
description: Detects execution of the "esxcli" command with the "vm" flag in order to retrieve information about the installed VMs.
references:
    - https://www.crowdstrike.com/blog/hypervisor-jackpotting-ecrime-actors-increase-targeting-of-esxi-servers/
    - https://developer.broadcom.com/xapis/esxcli-command-reference/7.0.0/namespace/esxcli_vm.html
    - https://www.secuinfra.com/en/techtalk/hide-your-hypervisor-analysis-of-esxiargs-ransomware/
    - https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/22/e/new-linux-based-ransomware-cheerscrypt-targets-exsi-devices.html
author: Cedric Maurugeon
date: 2023-09-04
tags:
    - attack.discovery
    - attack.execution
    - attack.t1033
    - attack.t1007
    - attack.t1059.012
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: linux
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '/esxcli'
        CommandLine|contains: 'vm process'
        CommandLine|endswith: ' list'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate administration activities
level: medium

title: ESXi VSAN Information Discovery Via ESXCLI
id: d54c2f06-aca9-4e2b-81c9-5317858f4b79
status: test
description: Detects execution of the "esxcli" command with the "vsan" flag in order to retrieve information about virtual storage. Seen used by malware such as DarkSide.
references:
    - https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/21/e/darkside-linux-vms-targeted.html
    - https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/22/a/analysis-and-Impact-of-lockbit-ransomwares-first-linux-and-vmware-esxi-variant.html
    - https://developer.broadcom.com/xapis/esxcli-command-reference/7.0.0/namespace/esxcli_vsan.html
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Cedric Maurugeon
date: 2023-09-04
tags:
    - attack.discovery
    - attack.execution
    - attack.t1033
    - attack.t1007
    - attack.t1059.012
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: linux
detection:
    selection_img:
        Image|endswith: '/esxcli'
        CommandLine|contains: 'vsan'
    selection_cli:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - ' get'
            - ' list'
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate administration activities
# Note: level can be reduced to low in some envs
level: medium