File Deletion via Shrededit

Identifies file deletions using the shred command. Malware or other files dropped or created on a system by an adversary may leave traces behind as to what was done within a network and how. Adversaries may remove these files over the course of an intrusion to keep their footprint low or remove them at the end as part of the post-intrusion cleanup process.

Rule type: query

Rule indices:

  • auditbeat-*
  • logs-endpoint.events.*

Severity: low

Risk score: 21

Runs every: 5 minutes

Searches indices from: now-9m (Date Math format, see also Additional look-back time)

Maximum alerts per execution: 100

Tags:

  • Elastic
  • Linux

Version: 3 (version history)

Added (Elastic Stack release): 7.8.0

Last modified (Elastic Stack release): 7.9.1

Rule authors: Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License

Rule queryedit

event.category:process and event.type:(start or process_started) and
process.name:shred and process.args:("-u" or "--remove" or "-z" or "--
zero")

Threat mappingedit

Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM

Rule version historyedit

Version 3 (7.9.1 release)
  • Formatting only
Version 2 (7.9.0 release)
  • Updated query, changed from:

    event.action:(executed or process_started) and process.name:shred and
    process.args:("-u" or "--remove" or "-z" or "--zero")