huntrule

Linux Process Creation Crypto Miner Command-Line Indicators

Alerts on Linux process executions with command-line strings typical of crypto mining pools, stratum endpoints, and miner options.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v3
Product
linux
Category
process_creation
Author
Florian Roth (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2021-10-26
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Impact

  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 identifies Linux process creation events whose command line contains parameters and connection strings commonly seen in crypto miner tooling. Attackers can use these indicators to redirect compute resources to mining pools or disrupt host performance, so surfacing these patterns helps identify likely mining activity. It relies on telemetry that captures command-line arguments for newly created processes.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1496 — drag to rearrange
Malicious Cryptocurrency Miner Execution via XMRig and c3pool (via process_creation)
Malicious WinRing0 Vulnerable Driver Load for Coin Mining
Suspicious Power Configuration Change to Prevent Sleep via powercfg
Suspicious kswapd0 Masquerading Miner Process
Suspicious XMRig Cryptominer Execution with Pool URL by StaryDobry
Suspicious SteelFox Service Binary Launched by services.exe
Suspicious Cryptomining Shell Script Execution sex.sh or miner.sh on Linux (via process_creation)
Malicious XMRig Cryptominer Execution via Custom Command-Line Flags (via process_creation)
Malicious XMRig GhostRider Coinminer Execution with Mining Pool Arguments
Linux Process Creation Crypto Miner Command-Line Indicators
Pivot detection · T1496 · 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.