Suspicious Root Account Enable Through Dsenableroot (via process_creation)

title: Suspicious Root Account Enable Through Dsenableroot (via process_creation)
id: dcbd739b-24dd-574a-a129-411f8f0570d5
status: stable
description: This rule detects attempts to enable the root account via "dsenableroot"
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1078/003/
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1078/001/
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1078/
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/b27a3cb25025161d49ac861cb216db68c46a3537/atomics/T1078.003/T1078.003.md
    - https://github.com/elastic/detection-rules/blob/4312d8c9583be524578a14fe6295c3370b9a9307/rules/macos/persistence_enable_root_account.toml
    - https://ss64.com/osx/dsenableroot.html
author: Huntrule Team
date: 2026-06-17
tags:
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1078
    - attack.t1078.001
    - attack.t1078.003
    - attack.initial-access
    - attack.persistence
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: macos
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '/dsenableroot'
    filter_main_disable:
        CommandLine|contains: ' -d '
    condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium