[metadata] creation_date = "2020/12/07" integration = ["endpoint"] maturity = "production" min_stack_comments = "New fields added: required_fields, related_integrations, setup" min_stack_version = "8.3.0" updated_date = "2023/02/22" [rule] author = ["Elastic"] description = """ An adversary can establish persistence by installing a new launch agent that executes at login by using launchd or launchctl to load a plist into the appropriate directories. """ false_positives = ["Trusted applications persisting via LaunchAgent"] from = "now-9m" index = ["auditbeat-*", "logs-endpoint.events.*"] language = "eql" license = "Elastic License v2" name = "Launch Agent Creation or Modification and Immediate Loading" references = [ "https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/MacOSX/Conceptual/BPSystemStartup/Chapters/CreatingLaunchdJobs.html", ] risk_score = 21 rule_id = "082e3f8c-6f80-485c-91eb-5b112cb79b28" severity = "low" tags = ["Elastic", "Host", "macOS", "Threat Detection", "Persistence"] type = "eql" query = ''' sequence by host.id with maxspan=1m [file where host.os.type == "macos" and event.type != "deletion" and file.path : ("/System/Library/LaunchAgents/*", "/Library/LaunchAgents/*", "/Users/*/Library/LaunchAgents/*") ] [process where host.os.type == "macos" and event.type in ("start", "process_started") and process.name == "launchctl" and process.args == "load"] ''' [[rule.threat]] framework = "MITRE ATT&CK" [[rule.threat.technique]] id = "T1543" name = "Create or Modify System Process" reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1543/" [[rule.threat.technique.subtechnique]] id = "T1543.001" name = "Launch Agent" reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1543/001/" [rule.threat.tactic] id = "TA0003" name = "Persistence" reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0003/"