Linux Service Management Command Usage to Stop or Disable Services

ATT&CK techniques

Impact

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
- T1489Service Stop

What it detects

This rule flags process executions where the command path ends with common service-control utilities (e.g., service, systemctl, chkconfig) and the command line includes stop or disable operations. Attackers may use these utilities to impair defenses, disrupt services, or hinder security monitoring by stopping or disabling targeted components. It relies on Linux process creation telemetry, including the process image path and command-line arguments, with several filters to reduce known legitimate cases.

Reporting behind it

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Linux Service Management Command Usage to Stop or Disable Services

Pivot detection · T1489 · 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-service-management-tool-usage-to-stop-or-disable-services-de25eeb8

title: Linux Service Management Command Usage to Stop or Disable Services
id: f07c42e9-05ab-4d49-8a7a-fc9558f61f29
status: test
description: This rule flags process executions where the command path ends with common service-control utilities (e.g., service, systemctl, chkconfig) and the command line includes stop or disable operations. Attackers may use these utilities to impair defenses, disrupt services, or hinder security monitoring by stopping or disabling targeted components. It relies on Linux process creation telemetry, including the process image path and command-line arguments, with several filters to reduce known legitimate cases.
references:
  - https://www.trendmicro.com/pl_pl/research/20/i/the-evolution-of-malicious-shell-scripts.html
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/linux/process_creation/proc_creation_lnx_services_stop_and_disable.yml
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2022-09-15
modified: 2025-03-18
tags:
  - attack.defense-impairment
  - attack.t1685
  - attack.impact
  - attack.t1489
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: linux
detection:
  selection:
    Image|endswith:
      - /service
      - /systemctl
      - /chkconfig
    CommandLine|contains:
      - " stop "
      - " disable "
  filter_main_legit_snapd:
    Image|endswith: /systemctl
    CommandLine|contains:
      - --no-reload disable snap-snapd-
      - " stop snap-snapd-"
  filter_main_ssh_preinstall:
    Image|endswith: /systemctl
    ParentCommandLine|contains: tmp.ci/preinst upgrade
    CommandLine|contains|all:
      - " stop "
      - ssh.
  filter_main_ubuntu_upgrade:
    ParentCommandLine|contains: /dpkg/info/ubuntu-pro-client.prerm upgrade
    Image|endswith: /systemctl
  filter_optional_aws_agent:
    Image|endswith: /systemctl
    CommandLine|endswith: snap.amazon-ssm-agent.amazon-ssm-agent.service
  condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*
falsepositives:
  - Legitimate administration activities
  - Some false positives are to be expected. Apply additional filters as needed before pushing to production.
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: de25eeb8-3655-4643-ac3a-b662d3f26b6b
    type: derived

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