Linux Csvtool Privilege Escalation

name: Linux Csvtool Privilege Escalation
id: f8384f9e-1a5c-4c3a-96d6-8a7e5a38a8b8
version: 13
creation_date: '2022-08-10'
modification_date: '2026-05-13'
author: Gowthamaraj Rajendran, Splunk
status: production
type: Anomaly
description: The following analytic detects the execution of the 'csvtool' command with 'sudo' privileges, which can allow a user to run system commands as root. This detection leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process execution logs that include command-line details. This activity is significant because it indicates a potential privilege escalation attempt, where a user could gain unauthorized root access. If confirmed malicious, this could lead to full system compromise, allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary commands, escalate privileges, and maintain persistent access.
data_source:
    - Sysmon for Linux EventID 1
search: |-
    | tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Processes
      WHERE Processes.process="*csvtool*"
        AND
        Processes.process="*call*"
        AND
        Processes.process="*sudo*"
      BY Processes.action Processes.dest Processes.original_file_name
         Processes.parent_process Processes.parent_process_exec Processes.parent_process_guid
         Processes.parent_process_id Processes.parent_process_name Processes.parent_process_path
         Processes.process Processes.process_exec Processes.process_guid
         Processes.process_hash Processes.process_id Processes.process_integrity_level
         Processes.process_name Processes.process_path Processes.user
         Processes.user_id Processes.vendor_product
    | `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)`
    | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
    | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
    | `linux_csvtool_privilege_escalation_filter`
how_to_implement: The detection is based on data that originates from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents. These agents are designed to provide security-related telemetry from the endpoints where the agent is installed. To implement this search, you must ingest logs that contain the process GUID, process name, and parent process. Additionally, you must ingest complete command-line executions. These logs must be processed using the appropriate Splunk Technology Add-ons that are specific to the EDR product. The logs must also be mapped to the `Processes` node of the `Endpoint` data model. Use the Splunk Common Information Model (CIM) to normalize the field names and speed up the data modeling process.
known_false_positives: False positives may be present, filter as needed.
references:
    - https://gtfobins.github.io/gtfobins/csvtool/
intermediate_findings:
    entities:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 20
          message: An instance of $parent_process_name$ spawning $process_name$ was identified on endpoint $dest$
threat_objects:
    - field: parent_process_name
      type: parent_process_name
    - field: process_name
      type: process_name
analytic_story:
    - Linux Privilege Escalation
    - Linux Living Off The Land
asset_type: Endpoint
mitre_attack_id:
    - T1548.003
product:
    - Splunk Enterprise
    - Splunk Enterprise Security
    - Splunk Cloud
category: endpoint
security_domain: endpoint