Elastic Security Detection Rules

Unusual Process Modifying GenAI Configuration File

Last updated 5 days ago on 2025-12-04
Created 5 days ago on 2025-12-04

About

Detects unusual modification of GenAI tool configuration files. Adversaries may inject malicious MCP server configurations to hijack AI agents for persistence, C2, or data exfiltration. Attack vectors include malware or scripts directly poisoning config files, supply chain attacks via compromised dependencies, and prompt injection attacks that abuse the GenAI tool itself to modify its own configuration. Unauthorized MCP servers added to these configs execute arbitrary commands when the AI tool is next invoked.
Tags
Domain: EndpointOS: macOSOS: WindowsUse Case: Threat DetectionTactic: Defense EvasionTactic: PersistenceData Source: Elastic DefendDomain: LLMLanguage: kuery
Severity
medium
Risk Score
47
MITRE ATT&CK™

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

↳ Modify Authentication Process (T1556)(opens in a new tab or window)

Persistence (TA0003)(opens in a new tab or window)

↳ Compromise Host Software Binary (T1554)(opens in a new tab or window)

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

Definition

Rule Type
New Terms Rule
Integration Pack
Prebuilt Security Detection Rules
Index Patterns
logs-endpoint.events.file*
Related Integrations

endpoint(opens in a new tab or window)

Query
event.category : "file" and event.action : ("modification" or "overwrite") and
file.path : (
    */.cursor/mcp.json or */.cursor/settings.json or */AppData/Roaming/Cursor/*mcp* or
    */.claude/* or */claude_desktop_config.json or */AppData/Roaming/Claude/* or
    */.config/github-copilot/* or */AppData/Local/GitHub?Copilot/* or
    */.ollama/config* or */AppData/Local/Ollama/* or
    */.codex/* or */AppData/Roaming/Codex/* or
    */.gemini/* or */AppData/Roaming/gemini-cli/* or
    */.grok/* or */AppData/Roaming/Grok/* or
    */.windsurf/* or */AppData/Roaming/Windsurf/* or
    */.vscode/extensions/*mcp*
)

Install detection rules in Elastic Security

Detect Unusual Process Modifying GenAI Configuration File 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).