Detection rules › Elastic

Shell Command Piped to Osascript via Shell Script

Time window
10s
Sequence by
process.entity_id, process.parent.entity_id
Source
github.com/elastic/protections-artifacts

Detects when shell commands are piped to osascript for execution. This technique can be used by adversaries to execute AppleScript commands indirectly through shell scripts.

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

Telemetry coverage

Rule body

[rule]
description = """
Detects when shell commands are piped to osascript for execution. This technique can be used by adversaries to execute
AppleScript commands indirectly through shell scripts.
"""
id = "2b6eac2a-c533-463c-bcbb-098d40fe3854"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "Shell Command Piped to Osascript via Shell Script"
os_list = ["macos"]
version = "1.0.4"

query = '''
sequence with maxspan = 10s
[process where event.type == "start" and event.action == "exec" and process.parent.name in ("bash", "sh", "zsh") and process.name == "osascript" and process.args_count == 1] by process.entity_id
[process where event.type == "start" and event.action == "exec" and process.name in ("bash", "sh", "zsh") and process.args == "-c"] by process.parent.entity_id
'''

min_endpoint_version = "8.16.0"
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 = "T1059"
name = "Command and Scripting Interpreter"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1059.002"
name = "AppleScript"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/002/"

[[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/"

[internal]
min_endpoint_version = "8.16.0"

Stages and Predicates

Ordered sequence: each step below must occur in order within 10s, 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 in ("bash", "sh", "zsh") and process.name == "osascript" and process.args_count == 1] by process.entity_id

Stage 2: process

[process where event.type == "start" and event.action == "exec" and process.name in ("bash", "sh", "zsh") and process.args == "-c"] by process.parent.entity_id

Indicators

These rows show field, operator, and value matches.