New

The executive guide to generative AI

Read more

SoftwareUpdate Preferences Modification

edit

Identifies changes to the SoftwareUpdate preferences using the built-in defaults command. Adversaries may abuse this in an attempt to disable security updates.

Rule type: query

Rule indices:

  • auditbeat-*
  • logs-endpoint.events.*

Severity: medium

Risk score: 47

Runs every: 5m

Searches indices from: now-9m (Date Math format, see also Additional look-back time)

Maximum alerts per execution: 100

References:

Tags:

  • Elastic
  • Host
  • macOS
  • Threat Detection
  • Defense Evasion

Version: 102

Rule authors:

  • Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License v2

Rule query

edit
event.category:process and host.os.type:macos and event.type:(start or process_started) and
 process.name:defaults and
 process.args:(write and "-bool" and (com.apple.SoftwareUpdate or /Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate.plist) and not (TRUE or true))

Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM

Was this helpful?
Feedback