Systemd Service Override Configuration File Created

Last updated a month ago on 2026-06-05

Created a month ago on 2026-06-05

About

This rule detects the creation or renaming of a new Systemd override configuration file in any of the Systemd service locations for both root and regular users. Systemd override configuration files are configuration files in Linux systems used to override the default Systemd service configuration for a specific service. Malicious actors can leverage systemd override configuration files to achieve persistence by creating or modifying services to execute malicious commands or payloads during system startup or at a predefined interval by adding a systemd timer. This allows them to maintain unauthorized access, execute additional malicious activities, or evade detection.

Tags

Domain: EndpointOS: LinuxUse Case: Threat DetectionTactic: PersistenceTactic: Privilege EscalationData Source: Elastic DefendLanguage: eql

Severity

medium

Risk Score

MITRE ATT&CK™

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

↳ Create or Modify System Process (T1543)(external, opens in a new tab or window)

Privilege Escalation (TA0004)(external, opens in a new tab or window)

↳ Create or Modify System Process (T1543)(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.file*
Related Integrations: endpoint(external, opens in a new tab or window)
Query

✄𐘗text code block:
✄𐘗file where host.os.type == "linux" and event.action in ("rename", "creation") and
file.extension == "conf" and file.path like (
  "/etc/systemd/system/*.d/*.conf", "/etc/systemd/user/*.d/*.conf", "/usr/local/lib/systemd/system/*.d/*.conf",
  "/lib/systemd/system/*.d/*.conf", "/usr/lib/systemd/system/*.d/*.conf", "/usr/lib/systemd/user/*.d/*.conf",
  "/home/*/.config/systemd/user/*.d/*.conf", "/home/*/.local/share/systemd/user/*.d/*.conf",
  "/root/.config/systemd/user/*.d/*.conf", "/root/.local/share/systemd/user/*.d/*.conf",
  "/run/systemd/system/*.d/*.conf", "/var/run/systemd/system/*.d/*.conf"
) and
not process.executable in (
  "/bin/dpkg", "/usr/bin/dpkg", "/bin/dockerd", "/usr/bin/dockerd", "/usr/sbin/dockerd", "/bin/microdnf",
  "/usr/bin/microdnf", "/bin/rpm", "/usr/bin/rpm", "/bin/snapd", "/usr/bin/snapd", "/bin/yum", "/usr/bin/yum",
  "/bin/dnf", "/usr/bin/dnf", "/bin/podman", "/usr/bin/podman", "/bin/dnf-automatic", "/usr/bin/dnf-automatic",
  "/usr/bin/dpkg-divert", "/bin/dpkg-divert", "/sbin/apk", "/usr/sbin/apk", "/usr/local/sbin/apk", "/usr/bin/dnf5",
  "/usr/bin/apt", "/usr/bin/puppet", "/bin/puppet", "/opt/puppetlabs/puppet/bin/puppet", "/usr/bin/pacman",
  "/usr/bin/chef-client", "/bin/chef-client", "/usr/bin/pamac-daemon", "/bin/pamac-daemon", "/usr/local/bin/dockerd",
  "/usr/bin/crio", "/usr/bin/podman", "/usr/bin/tdnf", "/usr/bin/apk"
)

Install detection rules in Elastic Security

Detect Systemd Service Override Configuration File Created 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).