Detection rules › Elastic
User TCC DB Access by Osascript
Detects the attempt to access or open the users TCC database by the Osascript binary. This activity may indicate the presence of a malicious payload attempting to bypass TCC or gain awareness of system permissions in place.
MITRE ATT&CK coverage
| Tactic | Techniques |
|---|---|
| Execution | |
| Privilege Escalation | |
| Discovery |
Telemetry coverage
| Platform | Record / event type |
|---|---|
| macOS | ESF event open (NOTIFY): Fires after the kernel grants a process access to open a file. |
Rule body
[rule]
description = """
Detects the attempt to access or open the users TCC database by the Osascript binary. This activity may indicate the
presence of a malicious payload attempting to bypass TCC or gain awareness of system permissions in place.
"""
id = "e5c7649a-9585-4626-833c-90f96489a9ba"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "User TCC DB Access by Osascript"
os_list = ["macos"]
reference = ["https://github.com/cedowens/SwiftBelt-JXA/blob/main/SwiftBelt-JXA.js"]
version = "1.0.5"
query = '''
file where event.action == "open" and process.executable != null and
file.path like~ "/Users/*/Library/Application Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db" and
process.name == "osascript"
'''
min_endpoint_version = "8.10.2"
optional_actions = []
[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
field = "Effective_process.entity_id"
state = 0
[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
field = "process.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]]
id = "T1106"
name = "Native API"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1106/"
[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0002"
name = "Execution"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0002/"
[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1548"
name = "Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1548/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1548.006"
name = "TCC Manipulation"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1548/006/"
[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0005"
name = "Defense Evasion"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/"
[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1069"
name = "Permission Groups Discovery"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1069/"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1082"
name = "System Information Discovery"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1082/"
[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0007"
name = "Discovery"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0007/"
[internal]
min_endpoint_version = "8.10.2"
Stages and Predicates
Stage 1: file
file where event.action == "open" and process.executable != null and
file.path like~ "/Users/*/Library/Application Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db" and
process.name == "osascript"
Indicators
These rows show field, operator, and value matches.
| Field | Kind | Values | Search |
|---|---|---|---|
event.action | eq |
| field:"EventType" kind:eq value:"open" |
file.path | wildcard |
| field:"TargetFilename" kind:wildcard value:"/Users/*/Library/Application Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db" |
process.executable | is_not_null | field:"Image" kind:is_not_null | |
process.name | eq |
| field:"process_name" kind:eq value:"osascript" |