Linux find Command Used to Discover SUID/SGID and World-Writable Files

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 of the find binary when command-line arguments match common searches for high-risk file permissions, including SUID/SGID and world-writable/executable paths. Attackers use find to quickly identify potentially exploitable files and misconfigurations during discovery. It relies on process creation telemetry that provides the executed image path and the full command line.

Reporting behind it

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Linux find Command Used to Discover SUID/SGID and World-Writable Files

Pivot detection · T1083 · 9 related

Changelog

v2

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-process-discovery-via-find-command-searching-setuid-sgid-and-writable-exec-8344c0e5

title: Linux find Command Used to Discover SUID/SGID and World-Writable Files
id: e07f2949-0818-45b1-a1ab-28685fe32c35
related:
  - id: 85de3a19-b675-4a51-bfc6-b11a5186c971
    type: similar
  - id: 8344c0e5-5783-47cc-9cf9-a0f7fd03e6cf
    type: derived
status: test
description: This rule flags process executions of the find binary when command-line arguments match common searches for high-risk file permissions, including SUID/SGID and world-writable/executable paths. Attackers use find to quickly identify potentially exploitable files and misconfigurations during discovery. It relies on process creation telemetry that provides the executed image path and the full command line.
references:
  - https://github.com/SaiSathvik1/Linux-Privilege-Escalation-Notes
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/linux/process_creation/proc_creation_lnx_susp_find_execution.yml
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2022-12-28
tags:
  - attack.discovery
  - attack.t1083
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: linux
detection:
  selection:
    Image|endswith: /find
    CommandLine|contains:
      - -perm -4000
      - -perm -2000
      - -perm 0777
      - -perm -222
      - -perm -o w
      - -perm -o x
      - -perm -u=s
      - -perm -g=s
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1

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