Suspicious SELinux Enforcement Disabled via Setenforce Command Line (via process_creation)

ATT&CK techniques

Recon
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 use of setenforce 0 to switch SELinux out of enforcing mode, a defense evasion step performed by the vSphere cryptomining campaign before deploying its miner and rootkit. It is associated with the cryptomining campaign targeting VMware vSphere reported by Uptycs. Disabling SELinux weakens mandatory access controls to let malicious components run unrestricted, which is unusual outside deliberate administration and worth reviewing.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1685 — drag to rearrange

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Malicious Unsigned VIB Installation on ESXi Host via esxcli (via process_creation)

Suspicious In-Memory PowerShell Execution from Web Server via Automation Assembly (via image_load)

Malicious EDR Evasion Driver Load from AnyDesk Directory via k.sys (via image_load)

Suspicious SELinux Enforcement Disabled via Setenforce Command Line (via process_creation)

Pivot detection · T1685 · 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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