Suspicious Self-Hosted GitHub Actions Runner Started As Root via Shell (via process_creation)

ATT&CK techniques

Initial Access → Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
- T1078Valid Accounts
Execution
Persistence
- T1078Valid Accounts
- T1543Create or Modify System Process
Priv Esc
- T1078Valid Accounts
- T1543Create or Modify System Process
Defense Evasion
- T1078Valid Accounts
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects a self-hosted GitHub Actions runner being started with the runner allow run as root flag on Linux hosts. Threat actors register self-hosted runners and force them to run as root to obtain a persistent backdoor with full privileges on the host. A runner explicitly permitted to run as root is highly unusual and warrants review.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1078 — drag to rearrange

Suspicious GitHub Actions Runner In Hidden Directory via Shell (via process_creation)

Suspicious GitHub Self-Hosted Runner Registration via Audit Log (via github)

Malicious Fire Ant Hypervisor Backdoor Artifacts on ESXi and vCenter (via file_event)

Suspicious Login Shell Assigned to Service Account games on Linux

Suspicious SSH Daemon Configuration Change Enabling Root Login

Suspicious NTLM Network Logon From Attacker Controlled Workstation Names (via security)

Suspicious dMSA Object Access with Migration AccessMask

Malicious ESX Admins Group Added to Privileged Directory Group

Malicious ESX Admins Group Creation via WinRM Host

Suspicious Self-Hosted GitHub Actions Runner Started As Root via Shell (via process_creation)

Pivot detection · T1078 · 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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