Suspicious Process Spawned from MOTD Detected
editSuspicious Process Spawned from MOTD Detected
editMessage of the day (MOTD) is the message that is presented to the user when a user connects to a Linux server via SSH or a serial connection. Linux systems contain several default MOTD files located in the "/etc/update-motd.d/" and "/usr/lib/update-notifier/" directories. These scripts run as the root user every time a user connects over SSH or a serial connection. Adversaries may create malicious MOTD files that grant them persistence onto the target every time a user connects to the system by executing a backdoor script or command. This rule detects the execution of potentially malicious processes through the MOTD utility.
Rule type: eql
Rule indices:
- logs-endpoint.events.*
- endgame-*
Severity: high
Risk score: 73
Runs every: 5m
Searches indices from: now-9m (Date Math format, see also Additional look-back time)
Maximum alerts per execution: 100
References:
Tags:
- Domain: Endpoint
- OS: Linux
- Use Case: Threat Detection
- Tactic: Persistence
- Data Source: Elastic Endgame
Version: 2
Rule authors:
- Elastic
Rule license: Elastic License v2
Rule query
editprocess where host.os.type == "linux" and
event.type == "start" and event.action : ("exec", "exec_event") and
process.parent.executable : ("/etc/update-motd.d/*", "/usr/lib/update-notifier/*") and
process.executable : ("*sh", "python*", "perl", "php*")
Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM
-
Tactic:
- Name: Persistence
- ID: TA0003
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0003/
-
Technique:
- Name: Boot or Logon Initialization Scripts
- ID: T1037
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1037/