splApache-2.0from splunk/security_content

Linux Change File Owner To Root

The following analytic detects the use of the 'chown' command to change a file owner to 'root' on a Linux system. It leverages Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) telemetry, specifically monitoring command-line executions and process details. This activity is significant as it may indicate an attempt to escalate privileges by adversaries, malware, or red teamers. If confirmed malicious, this action could allow an attacker to gain root-level access, leading to full control over the compromised host and potential persistence within the environment.

Quality

FP risk

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Forks

Views

Rule sourcedetections/endpoint/linux_change_file_owner_to_root.yml

| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Processes
  WHERE (
        Processes.process_name = chown
        OR
        Processes.process = "*chown *"
    )
    AND Processes.process = "* root *"
  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_change_file_owner_to_root_filter`