Suspicious Kernel Module Load Or Unload For Rootkit Deployment via PUMAKIT

PremiumReviewedSigma · Low · v1
Product
linux
Category
process_creation
Author
HuntRule
Published
2026-09-18
Updated
2026-09-18

ATT&CK techniques

Persistence → Defense Evasion
  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Defense Evasion

  6. Cred Access

  7. Discovery

  8. Lateral Movement

  9. Collection

  10. C2

  11. Exfiltration

  12. Impact

What it detects

This rule detects invocation of module management utilities that insert or remove Linux kernel modules which the PUMAKIT rootkit relies on to load its kernel component and manipulate the running kernel. Adversaries load a malicious LKM to gain kernel level control and conceal processes files and network activity.

Related detections9 linkedT1014 — drag to rearrange
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Malicious Diamorphine Rootkit Kernel Module Load via insmod
Suspicious LD_PRELOAD Userland Rootkit Loading via Command Line (via process_creation)
Suspicious Rootkit Configuration Registry Keys (via registry_set)
Suspicious Fake ACPIx86 Driver File Creation (via file_event)
Malicious ld.so.preload Hijack Loading libcext by Auto-Color (via process_creation)
Suspicious Loading of Malicious Netfilter Kernel Module for Traffic Signaling
Malicious Kernel Driver Load from User AppData Directory
Suspicious Kernel Module Load Or Unload For Rootkit Deployment via PUMAKIT
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.