Suspicious File Time Attribute Change - Linux (via auditd)

title: Suspicious File Time Attribute Change - Linux (via auditd)
id: e5f7cc21-9bd5-57c3-8439-3ac79e0bfc11
status: stable
description: This rule detects file time attribute change to hide new or changes to existing files.
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1070/006/
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1070.006/T1070.006.md
author: 'Huntrule Team'
date: 2026-07-02
tags:
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1070.006
logsource:
    product: linux
    service: auditd
detection:
    execve:
        type: 'EXECVE'
    touch:
        - 'touch'
    selection2:
        - '-t'
        - '-acmr'
        - '-d'
        - '-r'
    condition: execve and touch and selection2
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium
simulation:
    - type: atomic-red-team
      name: Set a file's access timestamp
      technique: T1070.006
      atomic_guid: 5f9113d5-ed75-47ed-ba23-ea3573d05810
    - type: atomic-red-team
      name: Set a file's modification timestamp
      technique: T1070.006
      atomic_guid: 20ef1523-8758-4898-b5a2-d026cc3d2c52
    - type: atomic-red-team
      name: Modify file timestamps using reference file
      technique: T1070.006
      atomic_guid: 631ea661-d661-44b0-abdb-7a7f3fc08e50