Persistence via Folder Action Script

Detects the modification of a folder action script. A folder action script is executed when the folder it is attached to has items added or removed, or when its window is opened, closed, moved, or resized. Adversaries may abuse this feature to establish persistence by utilizing a malicious script.

Rule type: eql

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:

https://posts.specterops.io/folder-actions-for-persistence-on-macos-8923f222343d

Tags:

Elastic
Host
macOS
Threat Detection
Execution
Persistence

Version: 5

Rule authors:

Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License v2

Rule query

edit

sequence by host.id with maxspan=5s
 [process where event.type in ("start", "process_started", "info") and process.name == "com.apple.foundation.UserScriptService"] by process.pid
 [process where event.type in ("start", "process_started") and process.name in ("osascript", "python", "tcl", "node", "perl", "ruby", "php", "bash", "csh", "zsh", "sh")] by process.parent.pid

Framework: MITRE ATT&CK^TM

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/
Tactic:
- Name: Execution
- ID: TA0002
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0002/
Technique:
- Name: Command and Scripting Interpreter
- ID: T1059
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/

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