Detection rules › Elastic
Shared Memory File Turned Executable by Suspicious Parent
Detects when a file located in the shared memory directory is made executable using chmod via an abnormal or suspicious parent process. Malware will often drop a second stage payload or file and will need to make it executable before invoking it.
MITRE ATT&CK coverage
| Tactic | Techniques |
|---|---|
| Stealth | |
| Defense Impairment |
Rule body
[rule]
description = """
Detects when a file located in the shared memory directory is made executable using chmod via an abnormal or suspicious
parent process. Malware will often drop a second stage payload or file and will need to make it executable before
invoking it.
"""
id = "742037b3-3ef6-4a33-84ed-b26fc6ae322c"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "Shared Memory File Turned Executable by Suspicious Parent"
os_list = ["linux"]
version = "1.0.11"
query = '''
process where event.type == "start" and event.action == "exec" and process.name == "chmod" and
process.args in ("4755", "755", "777", "0777", "+x", "a+x") and
process.args like "/dev/shm/*" and process.parent.executable != null and
not (
(
process.parent.executable == "/etc/init.d/nagios" and
process.args in ("/dev/shm/tmp", "/dev/shm/var", "/dev/shm/checkresults")
) or
process.parent.executable == "./install-attachment-registration-manager.sh" or
process.parent.command_line == "runc init" or
(
process.working_directory like "/tmp/selfgz*" and
process.parent.args == "./install-attachment-registration-manager.sh" and
process.command_line == "chmod 777 /dev/shm/check-point"
)
)
'''
min_endpoint_version = "7.15.0"
optional_actions = []
[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
field = "process.entity_id"
state = 0
[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
field = "process.parent.entity_id"
state = 0
[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1222"
name = "File and Directory Permissions Modification"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1222/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1222.002"
name = "Linux and Mac File and Directory Permissions Modification"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1222/002/"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1564"
name = "Hide Artifacts"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1564/"
[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0005"
name = "Defense Evasion"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/"
[internal]
min_endpoint_version = "7.15.0"
Stages and Predicates
Stage 1: process
process where event.type == "start" and event.action == "exec" and process.name == "chmod" and
process.args in ("4755", "755", "777", "0777", "+x", "a+x") and
process.args like "/dev/shm/*" and process.parent.executable != null and
not (
(
process.parent.executable == "/etc/init.d/nagios" and
process.args in ("/dev/shm/tmp", "/dev/shm/var", "/dev/shm/checkresults")
) or
process.parent.executable == "./install-attachment-registration-manager.sh" or
process.parent.command_line == "runc init" or
(
process.working_directory like "/tmp/selfgz*" and
process.parent.args == "./install-attachment-registration-manager.sh" and
process.command_line == "chmod 777 /dev/shm/check-point"
)
)
Exclusions
The rule actively suppresses these predicates.
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.args | in |
| field:"process.args" kind:in |
process.args | wildcard |
| field:"process.args" kind:wildcard value:"/dev/shm/*" |
process.name | eq |
| field:"process_name" kind:eq value:"chmod" |
process.parent.executable | is_not_null | field:"ParentImage" kind:is_not_null |