Kernel Unpacking Activity

Last updated 9 days ago on 2025-01-22
Created 24 days ago on 2025-01-07

About

This rule detects kernel unpacking activity through several built-in Linux utilities. Attackers may use these utilities to unpack kernel images and modules to search for vulnerabilities or to modify the kernel.
Tags
Domain: EndpointOS: LinuxUse Case: Threat DetectionTactic: DiscoveryTactic: Defense EvasionData Source: Elastic DefendLanguage: eql
Severity
low
Risk Score
21
MITRE ATT&CK™

Discovery (TA0007)(opens in a new tab or window)

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

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

Definition

Rule Type
Event Correlation Rule
Integration Pack
Prebuilt Security Detection Rules
Index Patterns
logs-endpoint.events.*
Related Integrations

endpoint(opens in a new tab or window)

Query
process where host.os.type == "linux" and event.type == "start" and event.action == "exec" and
(process.parent.args like "/boot/*" or process.args like "/boot/*") and (
  (process.name in ("file", "unlzma", "gunzip", "unxz", "bunzip2", "unzstd", "unzip", "tar")) or
  (process.name == "grep" and process.args == "ELF") or
  (process.name in ("lzop", "lz4") and process.args in ("-d", "--decode"))
) and
not process.parent.name == "mkinitramfs"

Install detection rules in Elastic Security

Detect Kernel Unpacking Activity 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(opens in a new tab or window).