huntrule

Linux auditd: Detect processes using --cpu-priority command-line parameter (possible miner behavior)

Alerts on Linux processes whose command line includes --cpu-priority, a common miner CPU tuning flag.

FreeReviewedSigma · Critical · v3
Product
linux
Service
auditd
Author
Florian Roth (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2021-10-09
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Priv Esc

  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Defense Evasion

  8. Cred Access

  9. Discovery

  10. Lateral Movement

  11. Collection

  12. C2

  13. Exfiltration

  14. Impact

What it detects

This rule flags Linux processes whose command line begins with the --cpu-priority option across the captured process arguments. Attackers and coin miners commonly use CPU priority tuning to increase mining performance and persistence on compromised hosts. The detection relies on auditd telemetry that includes the process command line, matching occurrences where the argument starts with --cpu-priority.

Reporting behind it

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Malicious Qilin EDR Killer BYOVD Driver Load
Malicious Looney Tunables Privilege Escalation Exploit by Kinsing (via process_creation)
Malicious Kerberos proxiable/S4U2self Ticket - CVE-2021-42278/42287 (via security)
Malicious Vulnerable Driver HwRwDrv Loaded for BYOVD
Possible CopyFail Root Exploitation via Python Spawning SUID Shell (via process_creation)
Linux auditd: Detect processes using --cpu-priority command-line parameter (possible miner behavior)
Pivot detection · T1068 · 9 related

Changelog

v3
  1. v3
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  2. v2
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  3. v1
    No changelog recorded for this version.2026-07-30

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.