System Hosts File Access

Identifies the use of built-in tools to read the contents of \etc\hosts on a local machine. Attackers may use this data to discover remote machines in an environment that may be used for Lateral Movement from the current system.

Rule type: eql

Rule indices:

logs-endpoint.events.*
endgame-*
auditbeat-*
logs-auditd_manager.auditd-*

Severity: low

Risk score: 21

Runs every: 60m

Searches indices from: now-119m (Date Math format, see also Additional look-back time)

Maximum alerts per execution: 100

References: None

Tags:

Domain: Endpoint
OS: Linux
OS: macOS
Use Case: Threat Detection
Tactic: Discovery
Rule Type: BBR
Data Source: Elastic Defend
Data Source: Elastic Endgame
Data Source: Auditd Manager

Version: 3

Rule authors:

Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License v2

Rule query

edit

process where event.type == "start" and event.action in ("exec", "exec_event", "executed", "process_started") and
process.name in ("vi", "nano", "cat", "more", "less") and process.args == "/etc/hosts"

Framework: MITRE ATT&CK^TM

Tactic:
- Name: Discovery
- ID: TA0007
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0007/
Technique:
- Name: Remote System Discovery
- ID: T1018
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1018/

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