Suspicious Local Account Creation on Linux (via process_creation)
- Product
- linux
- Category
- process_creation
- Author
- HuntRule
- Published
- 2026-08-13
- Updated
- 2026-08-28
ATT&CK techniques
PersistenceRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule detects useradd or adduser execution or a direct append to /etc/passwd, an account-creation technique attackers use to plant a durable local login on a compromised Linux host. Creating a rogue local account is a persistence technique tracked in the Red Canary Threat Detection Report. Detecting it surfaces a new attacker-controlled account.
Reporting behind it
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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