Detection rules › Elastic
Potential Proxy Execution via Sed
This rule detects the execution of a command or binary through the Sed binary. Attackers may use this technique to execute commands while attempting to evade detection.
MITRE ATT&CK coverage
| Tactic | Techniques |
|---|---|
| Execution | |
| Stealth |
Rule body
[rule]
description = """
This rule detects the execution of a command or binary through the Sed binary. Attackers may use this technique to
execute commands while attempting to evade detection.
"""
id = "272cf3e7-fd3f-442b-a781-f9e864fb1d4c"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "Potential Proxy Execution via Sed"
os_list = ["linux"]
reference = ["https://gtfobins.github.io/gtfobins/sed/"]
version = "1.0.4"
query = '''
sequence with maxspan=3s
[process where event.type == "start" and event.action == "exec" and process.parent.name == "sed" and
process.parent.args == "-n" and not process.args like "s/*"] by process.entity_id
[process where event.type == "start" and event.action == "exec" and
process.parent.name in ("bash", "dash", "sh", "tcsh", "csh", "zsh", "ksh", "fish") and
process.parent.args == "-c"] by process.parent.entity_id
'''
min_endpoint_version = "7.15.0"
optional_actions = []
[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
field = "process.entity_id"
state = 0
[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
field = "process.entity_id"
state = 1
[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
field = "process.parent.entity_id"
state = 0
[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
field = "process.parent.entity_id"
state = 1
[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1059"
name = "Command and Scripting Interpreter"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1059.004"
name = "Unix Shell"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/004/"
[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0002"
name = "Execution"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0002/"
[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1218"
name = "System Binary Proxy Execution"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/"
[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0005"
name = "Defense Evasion"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/"
[internal]
min_endpoint_version = "7.15.0"
Stages and Predicates
Ordered sequence: each step below must occur in order within 3s, correlated by process.entity_id, process.parent.entity_id.
Stage 1: process
[process where event.type == "start" and event.action == "exec" and process.parent.name == "sed" and
process.parent.args == "-n" and not process.args like "s/*"] by process.entity_id
Stage 2: process
[process where event.type == "start" and event.action == "exec" and
process.parent.name in ("bash", "dash", "sh", "tcsh", "csh", "zsh", "ksh", "fish") and
process.parent.args == "-c"] by process.parent.entity_id
Exclusions
The rule actively suppresses these predicates.
| Field | Kind | Excluded values | Search |
|---|---|---|---|
process.args | starts_with | s/ | excludes:process.args field:"process.args" value:"s/" |
Indicators
These rows show field, operator, and value matches.
| Field | Kind | Values | Search |
|---|---|---|---|
event.action | eq |
| field:"EventType" kind:eq value:"exec" |
event.type | eq |
| field:"event.type" kind:eq value:"start" |
process.parent.args | eq |
| field:"process.parent.args" kind:eq |
process.parent.name | eq |
| field:"parent_process_name" kind:eq value:"sed" |
process.parent.name | in |
| field:"parent_process_name" kind:in |