Suspicious Kernel Module Load From World Writable Directory on Linux

ATT&CK techniques

Persistence → Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
- T1547.006Kernel Modules and Extensions
Priv Esc
- T1547.006Kernel Modules and Extensions
Defense Evasion
- T1014Rootkit
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects insmod or modprobe loading a kernel object from tmp or shared memory paths as used to install Linux rootkits described in Elastic rootkit detection engineering research. Loading a ko file from a world writable staging directory rather than the module tree is a strong indicator of kernel level implant deployment.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1014 — drag to rearrange

Suspicious Kernel Module Load Or Unload For Rootkit Deployment via PUMAKIT

Malicious VoidLink Kernel Module Load via Insmod (via process_creation)

Suspicious Fileless Execution From Memory File Descriptor via PUMAKIT

Malicious ABYSSWORKER EDR-Killer Driver Load via smuol.sys

Possible AF_ALG Privilege Escalation via algif_aead Module Load

Malicious ValleyRAT KernelQuick Rootkit Service and Shellcode Store Registry Keys

Malicious Koske Userland Rootkit Installation via ld.so.preload (via file_event)

Malicious TeamTNT prochider Rootkit Deployment as Shared Object (via file_event)

Malicious perfctl Rootkit Library Drop via ld.so.preload (via file_event)

Suspicious Kernel Module Load From World Writable Directory on Linux

Pivot detection · T1014 · 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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