Detection rules › Sigma
Non-Standard Nsswitch.Conf Creation - Potential CVE-2025-32463 Exploitation
Detects the creation of nsswitch.conf files in non-standard directories, which may indicate exploitation of CVE-2025-32463. This vulnerability requires an attacker to create a nsswitch.conf in a directory that will be used during sudo chroot operations. When sudo executes, it loads malicious shared libraries from user-controlled locations within the chroot environment, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution and privilege escalation.
Known false positives
- Backup locations
MITRE ATT&CK coverage
| Tactic | Techniques |
|---|---|
| Privilege Escalation |
Telemetry coverage
| Platform | Record / event type |
|---|---|
| Linux | Event ID 11: File created |
Rule body
title: Non-Standard Nsswitch.Conf Creation - Potential CVE-2025-32463 Exploitation
id: 10ac0730-c24e-4f4c-81f8-b13a1ac95a1d
status: experimental
description: |
Detects the creation of nsswitch.conf files in non-standard directories, which may indicate exploitation of CVE-2025-32463.
This vulnerability requires an attacker to create a nsswitch.conf in a directory that will be used during sudo chroot operations.
When sudo executes, it loads malicious shared libraries from user-controlled locations within the chroot environment,
potentially leading to arbitrary code execution and privilege escalation.
references:
- https://github.com/kh4sh3i/CVE-2025-32463/blob/81bb430f84fa2089224733c3ed4bfa434c197ad4/exploit.sh
author: Swachchhanda Shrawn Poudel (Nextron Systems)
date: 2025-10-02
modified: 2026-03-31
tags:
- attack.privilege-escalation
- attack.t1068
- cve.2025-32463
- detection.emerging-threats
logsource:
category: file_event
product: linux
detection:
selection:
TargetFilename|endswith: '/etc/nsswitch.conf'
filter_main_legitimate_path:
TargetFilename:
- '/etc/nsswitch.conf'
- '/usr/share/factory/etc/nsswitch.conf'
condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_*
falsepositives:
- Backup locations
level: high
Stages and Predicates
Stage 0: condition
selection and not 1 of filter_main_*Stage 1: selection
selection:
TargetFilename|endswith: '/etc/nsswitch.conf'
Stage 2: not filter_main_legitimate_path
filter_main_legitimate_path:
TargetFilename:
- '/etc/nsswitch.conf'
- '/usr/share/factory/etc/nsswitch.conf'
Exclusions
The rule actively suppresses these predicates.
| Field | Kind | Excluded values | Search |
|---|---|---|---|
TargetFilename | eq | /etc/nsswitch.conf | excludes:TargetFilename field:"TargetFilename" value:"/etc/nsswitch.conf" |
TargetFilename | eq | /usr/share/factory/etc/nsswitch.conf | excludes:TargetFilename field:"TargetFilename" value:"/usr/share/factory/etc/nsswitch.conf" |
Indicators
These rows show field, operator, and value matches.
| Field | Kind | Values | Search |
|---|---|---|---|
TargetFilename | ends_with |
| field:"TargetFilename" kind:ends_with value:"/etc/nsswitch.conf" |