Potential Linux Credential Dumping via Unshadowedit
Identifies the execution of the unshadow utility which is part of John the Ripper, a password-cracking tool on the host machine. Malicious actors can use the utility to retrieve the combined contents of the /etc/shadow and /etc/password files. Using the combined file generated from the utility, the malicious threat actors can use them as input for password-cracking utilities or prepare themselves for future operations by gathering credential information of the victim.
Rule type: eql
Rule indices:
- logs-endpoint.events.*
- endgame-*
Severity: medium
Risk score: 47
Runs every: 5m
Searches indices from: now-9m (Date Math format, see also Additional look-back time)
Maximum alerts per execution: 100
References:
Tags:
- Data Source: Elastic Endgame
- Domain: Endpoint
- OS: Linux
- Use Case: Threat Detection
- Tactic: Credential Access
Version: 3
Rule authors:
- Elastic
Rule license: Elastic License v2
Rule queryedit
process where host.os.type == "linux" and process.name == "unshadow" and
event.type == "start" and event.action in ("exec", "exec_event") and process.args_count >= 2
Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM
-
Tactic:
- Name: Credential Access
- ID: TA0006
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0006/
-
Technique:
- Name: OS Credential Dumping
- ID: T1003
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1003/
-
Sub-technique:
- Name: /etc/passwd and /etc/shadow
- ID: T1003.008
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1003/008/