Creation of Hidden Launch Agent or Daemonedit

Identifies the creation of a hidden launch agent or daemon. An adversary may establish persistence by installing a new launch agent or daemon which executes at login.

Rule type: eql

Rule indices:

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

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:

  • Elastic
  • Host
  • macOS
  • Threat Detection
  • Persistence
  • Defense Evasion

Version: 101

Rule authors:

  • Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License v2

Investigation guideedit


Rule queryedit

file where event.type != "deletion" and
  file.path :
  (
    "/System/Library/LaunchAgents/.*.plist",
    "/Library/LaunchAgents/.*.plist",
    "/Users/*/Library/LaunchAgents/.*.plist",
    "/System/Library/LaunchDaemons/.*.plist",
    "/Library/LaunchDaemons/.*.plist"
  )

Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM