File Made Executable via Chmod Inside A Container

Last updated 10 months ago on 2025-03-12

Created 10 months ago on 2025-03-12

About

This rule detects when chmod or chown are used to add the execute permission to a file inside a container. Modifying file permissions to make a file executable could indicate malicious activity, as an attacker may attempt to run unauthorized or malicious code inside the container.

Tags

Domain: ContainerOS: LinuxUse Case: Threat DetectionTactic: ExecutionTactic: Defense EvasionData Source: Elastic DefendLanguage: eql

Severity

low

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)

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

↳ File and Directory Permissions Modification (T1222)(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-endpoint.events.process*
Related Integrations: endpoint(external, opens in a new tab or window)
Query

✄𐘗text code block:
✄𐘗process where host.os.type == "linux" and event.type == "start" and event.action == "exec" and
process.entry_leader.entry_meta.type == "container" and process.name in ("chmod", "chown") and
process.args in ("4755", "755", "000", "777", "444", "-x", "+x")

Install detection rules in Elastic Security

Detect File Made Executable via Chmod Inside A Container 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).