Uncommon macOS Keychain Credential Access via Security Utility (via process_creation)
- Product
- macos
- Category
- process_creation
- Author
- HuntRule
- Published
- 2026-09-03
- Updated
- 2026-09-03
ATT&CK techniques
Cred AccessRecon
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 the built-in security utility to dump the keychain or extract stored generic and internet passwords, a credential-access behavior used by macOS stealers to harvest saved secrets. Credential theft from the keychain supports the infostealer activity documented in the Red Canary Threat Detection Report. Because interactive keychain dumping is uncommon, detecting these security-command patterns surfaces credential harvesting.
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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