splApache-2.0from splunk/security_content

Linux pkexec Privilege Escalation

The following analytic detects the execution of `pkexec` without any command-line arguments. This behavior leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process telemetry. The significance lies in the fact that this pattern is associated with the exploitation of CVE-2021-4034 (PwnKit), a critical vulnerability in Polkit's pkexec component. If confirmed malicious, this activity could allow an attacker to gain full root privileges on the affected Linux system, leading to complete system compromise and potential unauthorized access to sensitive information.

Quality

FP risk

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Rule sourcedetections/endpoint/linux_pkexec_privilege_escalation.yml

| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Processes
  WHERE Processes.process_name=pkexec
  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)`
| regex process="(^.{1}$)"
| `linux_pkexec_privilege_escalation_filter`