huntrule

Linux: Command-Line Access to Shell History Files via execve

Alerts when executed commands reference common Linux shell history files.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v3
Product
linux
Service
auditd
Author
Mikhail Larin, oscd.community (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2020-10-17
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection
title: "Linux: Command-Line Access to Shell History Files via execve"
id: f94734cc-932a-48a8-b3d3-349d5011b96e
status: test
description: This rule flags processes that invoke execution while targeting common shell history files such as .bash_history, .zsh_history, .history, and fish_history. Attackers may access or modify shell history to cover tracks, reconstruct prior commands, or stage follow-on activity. It relies on Linux auditd execve telemetry combined with process arguments matching the specified history file paths.
references:
  - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1552.003/T1552.003.md
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/linux/auditd/execve/lnx_auditd_susp_histfile_operations.yml
author: Mikhail Larin, oscd.community, Huntrule Team
date: 2020-10-17
modified: 2022-11-28
tags:
  - attack.credential-access
  - attack.t1552.003
logsource:
  product: linux
  service: auditd
detection:
  execve:
    type: EXECVE
  history:
    - .bash_history
    - .zsh_history
    - .zhistory
    - .history
    - .sh_history
    - fish_history
  condition: execve and history
falsepositives:
  - Legitimate administrative activity
  - Legitimate software, cleaning hist file
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: eae8ce9f-bde9-47a6-8e79-f20d18419910
    type: derived