Suspicious Anomalous OpenSSH 0.3 Banner Indicating ZIPLINE Backdoor (via network)

ATT&CK techniques

C2

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
- T1071.001Web Protocols
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects SSH connections advertising an SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_0.3 style banner that does not correspond to any real OpenSSH release. The ZIPLINE passive backdoor on compromised Ivanti appliances hijacks the accept() call and keys off this anomalous banner as a trigger. An impossible OpenSSH version string is a reliable fingerprint of this passive implant.

Reporting behind it

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Suspicious Anomalous OpenSSH 0.3 Banner Indicating ZIPLINE Backdoor (via network)

Pivot detection · T1071.001 · 9 related

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.

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