Suspicious Systemd Service Creation (via auditd)

title: Suspicious Systemd Service Creation (via auditd)
id: 869b59ad-4a22-5583-834c-5aa3e8dc7105
status: stable
description: This rule detects a creation of systemd services which could be used by threat actors to execute hostile code.
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1543/002/
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1543.002/T1543.002.md
author: 'Huntrule Team'
date: 2026-05-17
tags:
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.t1543.002
logsource:
    product: linux
    service: auditd
detection:
    path:
        type: 'PATH'
        nametype: 'CREATE'
    name_1:
        name|startswith:
            - '/usr/lib/systemd/system/'
            - '/etc/systemd/system/'
    name_2:
        name|contains: '/.config/systemd/user/'
    condition: path and 1 of name_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium