Linux process creation: Confluence Java spawning script or download utilities
Alerts when Confluence’s Java process on Linux spawns shell or scripting/utilities, consistent with potential CVE-driven command execution.
- Product
- linux
- Category
- process_creation
- Author
- Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2022-06-03
- Updated
- 2026-07-31
ATT&CK techniques
Initial Access → ExecutionRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule flags Linux process creation events where an Atlassian Confluence server Java process (under /opt/atlassian/confluence/ and ending with /java) spawns a child process with a command line containing common shell interpreters or scripting/downloading tools. Such behavior can indicate post-exploitation activity where an attacker executes commands or pulls additional payloads. It relies on process_creation telemetry including ParentImage and CommandLine for the spawned child process.
Reporting behind it
Changelog
v5- v5Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v4Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v3Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- 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 creation: Confluence Java spawning script or download utilities"
id: c50170ce-0b2e-4ef5-a8a4-9006727ccdcd
related:
- id: 245f92e3-c4da-45f1-9070-bc552e06db11
type: derived
- id: 7fb14105-530e-4e2e-8cfb-99f7d8700b66
type: derived
status: test
description: This rule flags Linux process creation events where an Atlassian Confluence server Java process (under /opt/atlassian/confluence/ and ending with /java) spawns a child process with a command line containing common shell interpreters or scripting/downloading tools. Such behavior can indicate post-exploitation activity where an attacker executes commands or pulls additional payloads. It relies on process_creation telemetry including ParentImage and CommandLine for the spawned child process.
references:
- https://www.volexity.com/blog/2022/06/02/zero-day-exploitation-of-atlassian-confluence/
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules-emerging-threats/2022/Exploits/CVE-2022-26134/proc_creation_lnx_exploit_cve_2022_26134_atlassian_confluence.yml
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2022-06-03
tags:
- attack.initial-access
- attack.execution
- attack.t1190
- attack.t1059
- cve.2022-26134
- detection.emerging-threats
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: linux
detection:
selection:
ParentImage|startswith: /opt/atlassian/confluence/
ParentImage|endswith: /java
CommandLine|contains:
- /bin/sh
- bash
- dash
- ksh
- zsh
- csh
- fish
- curl
- wget
- python
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1