Linux: Process Execution of Network Scanning and Recon Tools
Flags Linux process executions of common network scanning/recon utilities based on executable name (and netcat listen flag filtering).
- Product
- linux
- Category
- process_creation
- Author
- Alejandro Ortuno, oscd.community, Georg Lauenstein (sure[secure]) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2020-10-21
- Updated
- 2026-07-31
ATT&CK techniques
DiscoveryRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule flags Linux process executions where the binary name ends with common network scanning and reconnaissance tool names, including nmap, naabu, autorecon, hping variants, nping, zenmap, and related utilities. It also matches netcat-style binaries (nc/ncat/netcat) when they are not invoked with explicit listen flags. Such activity can indicate attacker reconnaissance and service enumeration, and it relies on Linux process creation telemetry with Image and CommandLine fields to match filenames and listen/command-line context.
Reporting behind it
- github.comhttps://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1046/T1046.md
- github.comhttps://github.com/projectdiscovery/naabu
- github.comhttps://github.com/Tib3rius/AutoRecon
- github.comhttps://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/linux/process_creation/proc_creation_lnx_susp_network_utilities_execution.yml
Changelog
v2- v2Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v1No 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.
title: "Linux: Process Execution of Network Scanning and Recon Tools"
id: 4f45085c-e05a-4ce2-a6ba-d2174205cef3
status: test
description: This rule flags Linux process executions where the binary name ends with common network scanning and reconnaissance tool names, including nmap, naabu, autorecon, hping variants, nping, zenmap, and related utilities. It also matches netcat-style binaries (nc/ncat/netcat) when they are not invoked with explicit listen flags. Such activity can indicate attacker reconnaissance and service enumeration, and it relies on Linux process creation telemetry with Image and CommandLine fields to match filenames and listen/command-line context.
references:
- https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1046/T1046.md
- https://github.com/projectdiscovery/naabu
- https://github.com/Tib3rius/AutoRecon
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/linux/process_creation/proc_creation_lnx_susp_network_utilities_execution.yml
author: Alejandro Ortuno, oscd.community, Georg Lauenstein (sure[secure]), Huntrule Team
date: 2020-10-21
modified: 2024-09-19
tags:
- attack.discovery
- attack.t1046
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: linux
detection:
selection_netcat:
Image|endswith:
- /nc
- /ncat
- /netcat
- /socat
selection_network_scanning_tools:
Image|endswith:
- /autorecon
- /hping
- /hping2
- /hping3
- /naabu
- /nmap
- /nping
- /telnet
- /zenmap
filter_main_netcat_listen_flag:
CommandLine|contains:
- " --listen "
- " -l "
condition: (selection_netcat and not filter_main_netcat_listen_flag) or selection_network_scanning_tools
falsepositives:
- Legitimate administration activities
level: low
license: DRL-1.1
related:
- id: 3e102cd9-a70d-4a7a-9508-403963092f31
type: derived