Elastic Security Detection Rules

Shadow File Modification by Unusual Process

Last updated 7 months ago on 2025-01-24
Created a year ago on 2024-07-05

About

This rule monitors for Linux Shadow file modifications. These modifications are indicative of a potential password change or user addition event. Threat actors may attempt to create new users or change the password of a user account to maintain access to a system.
Tags
Domain: EndpointOS: LinuxUse Case: Threat DetectionTactic: PersistenceTactic: Privilege EscalationData Source: Elastic DefendLanguage: eql
Severity
low
Risk Score
21
MITRE ATT&CK™

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

↳ Account Manipulation (T1098)(opens in a new tab or window)

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

↳ Account Manipulation (T1098)(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.file*
Related Integrations

endpoint(opens in a new tab or window)

Query
file where host.os.type == "linux" and event.type == "change" and event.action == "rename" and
file.path == "/etc/shadow" and file.Ext.original.path != null and 
not process.name in (
  "usermod", "useradd", "passwd", "chage", "systemd-sysusers", "chpasswd", "userdel", "adduser", "update-passwd", "perl"
)

Install detection rules in Elastic Security

Detect Shadow File Modification by Unusual Process 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).