System Path File Creation and Execution Detected via Defend for Containers

Last updated 5 days ago on 2026-02-06

Created 5 days ago on 2026-02-06

About

This rule detects when an interactive process creates a file inside of a system binary location, inside of a running container. The system binary locations are /etc, /root, /bin, /usr/bin, /usr/local/bin, and /entrypoint. Adversaries may use these locations to create files that can be used to execute commands on the underlying host, or to evade detection by security controls.

Tags

Data Source: Elastic Defend for ContainersDomain: ContainerOS: LinuxUse Case: Threat DetectionTactic: ExecutionTactic: Command and ControlTactic: Defense EvasionLanguage: eql

Severity

medium

Risk Score

MITRE ATT&CK™

Execution (TA0002)(external, opens in a new tab or window)

↳ Command and Scripting Interpreter (T1059)(external, opens in a new tab or window)

Command and Control (TA0011)(external, opens in a new tab or window)

↳ Application Layer Protocol (T1071)(external, opens in a new tab or window)

Defense Evasion (TA0005)(external, opens in a new tab or window)

License

Elastic License v2(external, opens in a new tab or window)

Definition

Rule Type: Event Correlation Rule
Integration Pack: Prebuilt Security Detection Rules
Index Patterns: logs-cloud_defend.file*
Related Integrations: cloud_defend(external, opens in a new tab or window)
Query

✄𐘗text code block:
✄𐘗file where host.os.type == "linux" and event.type == "creation" and process.interactive == true and
file.path like (
  "/etc/*", "/root/*", "/bin/*", "/usr/bin/*", "/usr/local/bin/*", "/entrypoint*"
) and (
  process.name like ("wget", "curl") or
  (process.name == "busybox" and process.args == "wget") or
  process.executable like ("/tmp/*", "/dev/shm/*", "/var/tmp/*", "/run/*", "/var/run/*", "/mnt/*")
) and container.id like "?*"

Install detection rules in Elastic Security

Detect System Path File Creation and Execution Detected via Defend for Containers in the Elastic Security detection engine by installing this rule into your Elastic Stack.

To setup this rule, check out the installation guide for Prebuilt Security Detection Rules(external, opens in a new tab or window).