Quarantine Attribute Removal via TextEdit


Description

Detects when TextEdit is used to remove the quarantine attribute on a file. Based on research by Jeff Johnson that uses TextEdit to remove the quarantine attribute from files.

Query · eql

file where event.action == "extended_attributes_delete" and process.name == "TextEdit"
Raw source Quarantine Attribute Removal via TextEdit · Elastic TOML
Esc
Published by elastic/protections-artifacts ↗, licensed under Elastic License 2.0 ↗. Reproduced here unmodified.
[rule]
description = """
Detects when TextEdit is used to remove the quarantine attribute on a file. Based on research by Jeff Johnson that uses
TextEdit to remove the quarantine attribute from files.
"""
id = "0c33446f-8d07-41c3-805f-885df2bc60ed"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "Quarantine Attribute Removal via TextEdit"
os_list = ["macos"]
reference = [
    "https://github.com/cedowens/JXA-RemoveQuarantine",
    "https://lapcatsoftware.com/articles/sandbox-escape.html",
    "https://lapcatsoftware.com/articles/sandbox-escape2.html",
]
version = "1.0.5"

query = '''
file where event.action == "extended_attributes_delete" and process.name == "TextEdit"
'''

min_endpoint_version = "8.10.2"
optional_actions = []
[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
field = "Effective_process.executable"
state = 0

[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
field = "process.entity_id"
state = 0

[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1553"
name = "Subvert Trust Controls"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1553/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1553.001"
name = "Gatekeeper Bypass"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1553/001/"


[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1562"
name = "Impair Defenses"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1562/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1562.001"
name = "Disable or Modify Tools"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1562/001/"



[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0005"
name = "Defense Evasion"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/"

[internal]
min_endpoint_version = "8.10.2"

Detection rules belong to the projects that publish them and remain under their own licenses. This site indexes and links to them; it claims no rights in them.