Linux File Created In Kernel Driver Directory

Original Source: [splunk source]
Name:Linux File Created In Kernel Driver Directory
id:b85bbeec-6326-11ec-9311-acde48001122
version:3
date:2024-09-30
author:Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
status:production
type:Anomaly
Description:The following analytic detects the creation of files in the Linux kernel/driver directory. It leverages filesystem data to identify new files in this critical directory. This activity is significant because the kernel/driver directory is typically reserved for kernel modules, and unauthorized file creation here can indicate a rootkit installation. If confirmed malicious, this could allow an attacker to gain high-level privileges, potentially compromising the entire system by executing code at the kernel level.
Data_source:
  • -Sysmon for Linux EventID 11
search:| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Filesystem where Filesystem.file_path IN ("*/kernel/drivers/*") by Filesystem.dest Filesystem.file_name Filesystem.process_guid Filesystem.file_path
| `drop_dm_object_name(Filesystem)`
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
| `linux_file_created_in_kernel_driver_directory_filter`


how_to_implement:To successfully implement this search, you need to be ingesting logs with the file name, file path, and process_guid executions from your endpoints. If you are using Sysmon, you can use the Add-on for Linux Sysmon from Splunkbase.
known_false_positives:Administrator or network operator can create file in this folders for automation purposes. Please update the filter macros to remove false positives.
References:
  -https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/fedora/rawhide/system-administrators-guide/kernel-module-driver-configuration/Working_with_Kernel_Modules/
  -https://security.stackexchange.com/questions/175953/how-to-load-a-malicious-lkm-at-startup
  -https://0x00sec.org/t/kernel-rootkits-getting-your-hands-dirty/1485
drilldown_searches:
name:'View the detection results for - "$dest$"'
search:'%original_detection_search% | search dest = "$dest$"'
earliest_offset:'$info_min_time$'
latest_offset:'$info_max_time$'
name:'View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$dest$"'
search:'| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$dest$") starthoursago=168 | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime values(search_name) as "Search Name" values(risk_message) as "Risk Message" values(analyticstories) as "Analytic Stories" values(annotations._all) as "Annotations" values(annotations.mitre_attack.mitre_tactic) as "ATT&CK Tactics" by normalized_risk_object | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`'
earliest_offset:'$info_min_time$'
latest_offset:'$info_max_time$'
tags:
  analytic_story:
    - 'Linux Privilege Escalation'
    - 'Linux Persistence Techniques'
    - 'Linux Rootkit'
  asset_type:Endpoint
  confidence:90
  impact:80
  message:A file $file_name$ is created in $file_path$ on $dest$
  mitre_attack_id:
    - 'T1547.006'
    - 'T1547'
  observable:
    name:'dest'
    type:'Hostname'
    - role:
      - 'Victim'
  product:
    - 'Splunk Enterprise'
    - 'Splunk Enterprise Security'
    - 'Splunk Cloud'
  required_fields:
    - '_time'
    - 'Filesystem.dest'
    - 'Filesystem.file_create_time'
    - 'Filesystem.file_name'
    - 'Filesystem.process_guid'
    - 'Filesystem.file_path'
  risk_score:72
  security_domain:endpoint

tests:
name:'True Positive Test'
 attack_data:
  data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1547.006/loading_linux_kernel_module/sysmon_linux.log
  source: Syslog:Linux-Sysmon/Operational
  sourcetype: sysmon:linux
manual_test:None