Linux nohup Process Execution (Process Creation)

Flags Linux process launches where the image path ends with '/nohup', indicating nohup was invoked for backgrounding or persistence.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v2

Product: linux
Category: process_creation
Author: Christopher Peacock @SecurePeacock, SCYTHE @scythe_io (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2022-06-06
Updated: 2026-07-31

Analysis Detection

ATT&CK techniques

Execution

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1059.004Unix Shell
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags process creation where the executable path ends with '/nohup', indicating use of the nohup utility. Attackers can use nohup to keep processes running after logout or to facilitate operations in constrained environments. The detection relies on Linux process creation telemetry that records the spawned process image path.

Reporting behind it

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Linux nohup Process Execution (Process Creation)

Pivot detection · T1059.004 · 9 related

Changelog

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-nohup-execution-via-process-creation-nohu-p-command-path-e4ffe466

title: Linux nohup Process Execution (Process Creation)
id: a80353f1-dd55-410c-a9d4-34ec496e475d
status: test
description: This rule flags process creation where the executable path ends with '/nohup', indicating use of the nohup utility. Attackers can use nohup to keep processes running after logout or to facilitate operations in constrained environments. The detection relies on Linux process creation telemetry that records the spawned process image path.
references:
  - https://gtfobins.github.io/gtfobins/nohup/
  - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nohup
  - https://www.computerhope.com/unix/unohup.htm
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/linux/process_creation/proc_creation_lnx_nohup.yml
author: Christopher Peacock @SecurePeacock, SCYTHE @scythe_io, Huntrule Team
date: 2022-06-06
tags:
  - attack.execution
  - attack.t1059.004
logsource:
  product: linux
  category: process_creation
detection:
  selection:
    Image|endswith: /nohup
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Administrators or installed processes that leverage nohup
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: e4ffe466-6ff8-48d4-94bd-e32d1a6061e2
    type: derived

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