System Hosts File Access

[metadata]
creation_date = "2023/07/11"
integration = ["endpoint", "auditd_manager"]
maturity = "production"
updated_date = "2026/03/24"

[rule]
author = ["Elastic"]
building_block_type = "default"
description = """
Identifies the use of built-in tools to read the contents of "/etc/hosts" on a local machine. Attackers may use this data
to discover remote machines in an environment that may be used for Lateral Movement from the current system.
"""
from = "now-119m"
index = ["logs-endpoint.events.*", "endgame-*", "auditbeat-*", "logs-auditd_manager.auditd-*"]
interval = "60m"
language = "eql"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "System Hosts File Access"
risk_score = 21
rule_id = "f75f65cf-ed04-48df-a7ff-b02a8bfe636e"
severity = "low"
tags = [
    "Domain: Endpoint",
    "OS: Linux",
    "OS: macOS",
    "Use Case: Threat Detection",
    "Tactic: Discovery",
    "Rule Type: BBR",
    "Data Source: Elastic Defend",
    "Data Source: Elastic Endgame",
    "Data Source: Auditd Manager",
]
timestamp_override = "event.ingested"
type = "eql"
query = '''
process where event.type == "start" and event.action in ("exec", "exec_event", "executed", "process_started") and
process.name in ("vi", "nano", "cat", "more", "less", "vim", "vim.basic", "emacs") and process.args == "/etc/hosts" and
not ?process.working_directory in ("/opt/SolarWinds/Agent/bin/Plugins/SCM", "/opt/cohesityagent/software/crux/bin")
'''

[[rule.threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"

[[rule.threat.technique]]
id = "T1016"
name = "System Network Configuration Discovery"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1016/"

[[rule.threat.technique]]
id = "T1018"
name = "Remote System Discovery"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1018/"

[rule.threat.tactic]
id = "TA0007"
name = "Discovery"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0007/"