Linux Find Command Used to Execute a Shell via -exec

Flags Linux /find executions that use -exec to launch a shell interpreter.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v3

Product: linux
Category: process_creation
Author: Li Ling, Andy Parkidomo, Robert Rakowski, Blake Hartstein (Bloomberg L.P.) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2024-09-02
Updated: 2026-07-31

ATT&CK techniques

Discovery

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
- T1083File and Directory Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags process executions where the command line indicates /find being used with the -exec option and a shell binary is referenced. Using find -exec to spawn shells can support unauthorized command execution and may be used as a step in privilege escalation or exploitation workflows. It relies on Linux process creation telemetry, matching command-line patterns containing “-exec”, “ . ”, and one of several common shell paths (/bin/bash, /bin/sh, /bin/dash, /bin/fish, /bin/zsh).

Reporting behind it

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Linux Find Command Used to Execute a Shell via -exec

Pivot detection · T1083 · 9 related

Changelog

v3
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v2
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
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.

linux-find-command-using-exec-to-spawn-a-shell-6adfbf8f

title: Linux Find Command Used to Execute a Shell via -exec
id: ad70eb14-b6c7-4d4c-8cf7-5831534b4bdf
status: test
description: This rule flags process executions where the command line indicates /find being used with the -exec option and a shell binary is referenced. Using find -exec to spawn shells can support unauthorized command execution and may be used as a step in privilege escalation or exploitation workflows. It relies on Linux process creation telemetry, matching command-line patterns containing “-exec”, “ . ”, and one of several common shell paths (/bin/bash, /bin/sh, /bin/dash, /bin/fish, /bin/zsh).
references:
  - https://gtfobins.github.io/gtfobins/find/#shell
  - https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/security/current/linux-restricted-shell-breakout-via-linux-binary-s.html
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/linux/process_creation/proc_creation_lnx_find_shell_execution.yml
author: Li Ling, Andy Parkidomo, Robert Rakowski, Blake Hartstein (Bloomberg L.P.), Huntrule Team
date: 2024-09-02
tags:
  - attack.discovery
  - attack.t1083
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: linux
detection:
  selection_img:
    Image|endswith: /find
    CommandLine|contains|all:
      - " . "
      - -exec
  selection_cli:
    CommandLine|contains:
      - /bin/bash
      - /bin/dash
      - /bin/fish
      - /bin/sh
      - /bin/zsh
  condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 6adfbf8f-52be-4444-9bac-81b539624146
    type: derived

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