macOS OSACompile Run-Only Script Execution

Flags osacompile commands on macOS using run-only (-x) with inline script (-e) execution.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2

Product: macos
Category: process_creation
Author: Sohan G (D4rkCiph3r) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2023-01-31
Updated: 2026-07-31

ATT&CK techniques

Execution

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1059.002AppleScript
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags process creations where the command line includes OSACompile with run-only indicators, specifically the presence of ' -x ' and ' -e '. Attackers can use OSACompile to execute embedded AppleScript/OSAScript content directly, which can support short-lived or hard-to-review execution flows. Detection relies on macOS process creation telemetry, matching command-line substrings in the spawned process.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1059.002 — drag to rearrange

Suspicious Osascript Requesting Administrator Privileges (via process_creation)

Malicious Remote Script Piped to a Shell on macOS (via process_creation)

AppleScript do-shell-script Abuse via Osascript (via process_creation)

Suspicious AppleScript Payload Execution via osascript (macOS)

Suspicious AppleScript Execution Spawning a Shell via Osascript

Suspicious osascript Execution of Encoded AppleScript on macOS (via process_creation)

Suspicious Credential Prompt Phishing via osascript (via process_creation)

Malicious ClickFix Stager Piping curl Output to osascript

Suspicious Shell Execution Referencing Mounted DMG Volume via Terminal (macOS)

macOS OSACompile Run-Only Script Execution

Pivot detection · T1059.002 · 9 related

Changelog

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.

macos-process-creation-osacompile-run-only-execution-via-inline-e-script-b9d9b652

title: macOS OSACompile Run-Only Script Execution
id: 1c8c6087-726e-427f-b073-c6045857059f
status: test
description: This rule flags process creations where the command line includes OSACompile with run-only indicators, specifically the presence of ' -x ' and ' -e '. Attackers can use OSACompile to execute embedded AppleScript/OSAScript content directly, which can support short-lived or hard-to-review execution flows. Detection relies on macOS process creation telemetry, matching command-line substrings in the spawned process.
references:
  - https://redcanary.com/blog/applescript/
  - https://ss64.com/osx/osacompile.html
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/macos/process_creation/proc_creation_macos_osacompile_runonly_execution.yml
author: Sohan G (D4rkCiph3r), Huntrule Team
date: 2023-01-31
tags:
  - attack.t1059.002
  - attack.execution
logsource:
  product: macos
  category: process_creation
detection:
  selection:
    CommandLine|contains|all:
      - osacompile
      - " -x "
      - " -e "
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: b9d9b652-d8ed-4697-89a2-a1186ee680ac
    type: derived

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