Potential Privilege Escalation via a Parent/Child Process Sequence

Description

Detects a potential privilege escalation sequence via a parent/child process relationship. This rule checks for non-root execution of a parent process executable in a user or world-writeable directory by a non-root user followed by a UID change event to 0 (root) by the child process. This sequence is indicative of a potential local privilege escalation exploit.

Query · eql

sequence with maxspan=30s 
  [process where event.type == "start" and event.action == "exec" and
  user.id != 0 and process.parent.user.id != 0 and process.parent.group.id != 0 and
  process.interactive == true and
  (
    process.executable like (".*", "/tmp/*", "/dev/shm/*", "/var/tmp/*", "/run/user/*", "/var/run/user/*") or
    (process.executable like "/home/*/*" and process.args like ".*") or
    process.parent.executable like (".*", "/tmp/*", "/dev/shm/*", "/var/tmp/*", "/run/user/*", "/var/run/user/*") or
    (process.parent.executable like "/home/*/*" and process.parent.args like ".*")
  ) and
  not (
    process.parent.executable like (
      "/home/*/.conda/envs/fmf_server_agent/bin/python*", "/home/*/.local/share/uv/python/cpython-*-linux-x86_64-gnu/bin/python*",
      "/home/*/.local/share/mise/installs/node/*/bin/node", "/tmp/newroot/*", "/home/*/.local/share/claude/versions/*",
      "/home/*/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/@openai/codex/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/bin/codex",
      "/home/*/.vscode-server/bin/*/node", "/home/*/.local/bin/claude", "/run/user/*/.bubblewrap/newroot/*",
      "/tmp/go-build*/*/sso.test", "./bd.sh", "/usr/bin/node", "/usr/bin/terminator", "/usr/bin/yakuake", "/usr/libexec/gnome-terminal-server",
      "/usr/libexec/ptyxis-agent", "/home/*/Desktop/actions-runner/bin.*/Runner.Worker",
      "/home/*/.nvm/versions/node/v*/lib/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/bin/claude.exe",
      "/home/*/.nvm/versions/node/v*/lib/node_modules/@openai/codex/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/*/bin/codex",
      "/home/*/.local/lib/node_modules/@openai/codex/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/*/bin/codex",
      "/home/*/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/@openai/codex/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/*/codex/codex",
      "/home/*/.codex/packages/standalone/releases/*/bin/codex", "/home/*/.npm-global/bin/claude", "/home/*/.local/bin/copilot",
      "/home/*/.local/bin/agy", "/home/*/.local/bin/kiro-cli-chat", "/home/*/.local/bin/kiro-cli-term", "/home/*/.local/bin/zellij",
      "/home/*/.pixi/bin/pixi", "/home/*/.bun/bin/bun", "/home/*/.vnc/xstartup", "/home/*/bin/tmux", "/home/*/.local/share/cursor-agent/versions/*/node",
      "/home/*/.cache/yay/llmfit/src/llmfit/target/release/deps/llmfit-*", "/home/*/.sideload/nvim/nvim-linux-x86_64/bin/nvim",
      "/home/*/repos/gocryptfs/fortanix-dsm-fseagent", "/home/*/devel/rak-ps/base/test.runner/tts.interpreter", "/home/*/cricket/cricket/util/cenic/*.pl",
      "/home/*/.local/share/containers/storage/overlay/*/merged/usr/libexec/openssh/sshd-session",
      "./merged/home/*/.local/share/containers/storage/overlay/*/merged/usr/libexec/openssh/sshd-session",
      "./merged/var/lib/containers/storage/overlay/*/merged/usr/libexec/openssh/sshd-session",
      "/var/lib/containers/storage/overlay/*/merged/usr/libexec/openssh/sshd-session", "/tmp/*/.vscode-server/bin/*/node",
      "/tmp/*/easybuild/LLVM/*/llvm.obj.*/bin/clang-*", "/sw/eb/sw/*", "/home/*/.vscode-server/cli/servers/Stable-*/server/node",
      "/home/*/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/@openai/codex/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/codex/codex",
      "/home/*/.nvm/versions/node/*/bin/node", "/home/*/cricket/util/cenic/decomDevice.pl", "/home/*/.cursor-server/bin/linux-x64/*/node",
      "/home/*/h/*/anaconda3/envs/gd/bin/python3.*", "/tmp/.tmp*/.vscode-server/cli/servers/Stable-*/server/node",
      "/home/*/my-tools/kitty.app/bin/kitty", "/home/*/bin/ext/gocryptfs*", "/home/*/.local/bin/micromamba",
      "/tmp/.mount_Cursor*/usr/share/cursor/cursor", "/home/*/sp/bin/goofys", "/usr/bin/cmake", "/tmp/vscode-komo/*/server/node",
      "/home/*/sysadmin/linuxCommands/OnGuard/clearpass-onguard-installer*", "/home/*/Downloads/Antigravity-arm64/antigravity"
    ) or
    process.executable like (
      "./sh/relaunch.sh", "./install-components.sh", "./clean-docker.sh", "./docker-deploy.sh", "./bin/deploy-nautilus", "./get_helm.sh",
      "/home/*/scripts/odoo.sh", "/home/*/Scripts/.clear_etc_hosts.sh", "/home/*/Scripts/simplified_add_private_ips_to_etc_hosts.sh",
      "/home/*/.local/bin/sshuttle", "/home/*/.linuxbrew/bin/brew", "/home/*/repos/gocryptfs/fortanix-dsm-fseagent", "/home/*/bin/rootlesskit",
      "/home/grads/*/miniconda3/envs/*/bin/python*", "/home/grads/*/anaconda3/envs/*/bin/python*", "/home/staff/*/.local/share/uv/python/cpython-*/bin/python*",
      "/home/*/ntl/venv/bin/python", "/home/*/.venv/lib/python*/site-packages/playwright/driver/node", "/home/*/cricket/cricket/util/cenic/*.pl",
      "/home/*/run_metering_for_all_times.sh", "/home/*/bin/crc", "/home/*/crc-linux-*/crc", "/home/*/.local/bin/k8t", "/home/*/bin/minikube",
      "/home/*/.local/share/fnm/node-versions/v*/installation/bin/node", "/home/*/.nvm/versions/node/v*/bin/node", "/home/*/.hermes/node/bin/node",
      "/home/*/updateThingsBoard/*.sh", "/home/*/.ampdata/instances/*/AMP_Linux_x86_64", "/home/*/utils/vpn/vpn.sh", "/home/*/local/bin/pvbatch",
      "/tmp/newroot/usr/bin/flatpak", "/tmp/newroot/usr/bin/sh", "/cav/gtm/lke", "/home/*/cricket/util/cenic/*.pl", "/home/*/restart_starman.sh",
      "/home/*/Programy/DCC_harris_release/dcc", "/tmp/newroot/var/lib/awx/venv/awx/bin/python3", "/tmp/var/lib/awx/venv/awx/bin/python3",
      "/home/oracle/bin/request-daily.sh", "./merged/var/lib/containers/storage/overlay/*", "/usr/bin/podman", "/home/*/.conda/envs/*/bin/python",
      "/home/*/go/src/*/odinq", "/tmp/newroot/usr/bin/sudo", "/usr/bin/consolehelper", "/home/*/llama.cpp/build/bin/llama-server"
    ) or
    process.command_line in ("/usr/bin/env bash ./run_docker.sh", "/usr/bin/env bash ./run_docker_prod.sh") or 
    (process.parent.executable == "/tmp/newroot/var/lib/awx/venv/awx/bin/python3" and process.executable == "/tmp/newroot/var/lib/awx/venv/awx/bin/python3") or
    (process.parent.executable == "/tmp/newroot/etc/profiles/per-user/tilupe/bin/starship" and process.executable == "/tmp/newroot/etc/profiles/per-user/tilupe/bin/starship")
  )] by process.entity_id
  [process where event.type == "change" and event.action == "uid_change" and
  user.id == 0 and process.parent.user.id != 0 and process.parent.group.id != 0 and
  process.executable != "/usr/bin/sudo"] by process.parent.entity_id
Raw source Potential Privilege Escalation via a Parent/Child Process Sequence · Elastic TOML
Esc
Published by elastic/protections-artifacts ↗, licensed under Elastic License 2.0 ↗. Reproduced here unmodified. 
[rule]
description = """
Detects a potential privilege escalation sequence via a parent/child process relationship. This rule checks for non-root
execution of a parent process executable in a user or world-writeable directory by a non-root user followed by a UID
change event to 0 (root) by the child process. This sequence is indicative of a potential local privilege escalation
exploit.
"""
id = "ee4a9893-2c55-4268-9292-d4efb15e8195"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "Potential Privilege Escalation via a Parent/Child Process Sequence"
os_list = ["linux"]
version = "1.0.5"

query = '''
sequence with maxspan=30s 
  [process where event.type == "start" and event.action == "exec" and
  user.id != 0 and process.parent.user.id != 0 and process.parent.group.id != 0 and
  process.interactive == true and
  (
    process.executable like (".*", "/tmp/*", "/dev/shm/*", "/var/tmp/*", "/run/user/*", "/var/run/user/*") or
    (process.executable like "/home/*/*" and process.args like ".*") or
    process.parent.executable like (".*", "/tmp/*", "/dev/shm/*", "/var/tmp/*", "/run/user/*", "/var/run/user/*") or
    (process.parent.executable like "/home/*/*" and process.parent.args like ".*")
  ) and
  not (
    process.parent.executable like (
      "/home/*/.conda/envs/fmf_server_agent/bin/python*", "/home/*/.local/share/uv/python/cpython-*-linux-x86_64-gnu/bin/python*",
      "/home/*/.local/share/mise/installs/node/*/bin/node", "/tmp/newroot/*", "/home/*/.local/share/claude/versions/*",
      "/home/*/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/@openai/codex/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/bin/codex",
      "/home/*/.vscode-server/bin/*/node", "/home/*/.local/bin/claude", "/run/user/*/.bubblewrap/newroot/*",
      "/tmp/go-build*/*/sso.test", "./bd.sh", "/usr/bin/node", "/usr/bin/terminator", "/usr/bin/yakuake", "/usr/libexec/gnome-terminal-server",
      "/usr/libexec/ptyxis-agent", "/home/*/Desktop/actions-runner/bin.*/Runner.Worker",
      "/home/*/.nvm/versions/node/v*/lib/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/bin/claude.exe",
      "/home/*/.nvm/versions/node/v*/lib/node_modules/@openai/codex/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/*/bin/codex",
      "/home/*/.local/lib/node_modules/@openai/codex/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/*/bin/codex",
      "/home/*/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/@openai/codex/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/*/codex/codex",
      "/home/*/.codex/packages/standalone/releases/*/bin/codex", "/home/*/.npm-global/bin/claude", "/home/*/.local/bin/copilot",
      "/home/*/.local/bin/agy", "/home/*/.local/bin/kiro-cli-chat", "/home/*/.local/bin/kiro-cli-term", "/home/*/.local/bin/zellij",
      "/home/*/.pixi/bin/pixi", "/home/*/.bun/bin/bun", "/home/*/.vnc/xstartup", "/home/*/bin/tmux", "/home/*/.local/share/cursor-agent/versions/*/node",
      "/home/*/.cache/yay/llmfit/src/llmfit/target/release/deps/llmfit-*", "/home/*/.sideload/nvim/nvim-linux-x86_64/bin/nvim",
      "/home/*/repos/gocryptfs/fortanix-dsm-fseagent", "/home/*/devel/rak-ps/base/test.runner/tts.interpreter", "/home/*/cricket/cricket/util/cenic/*.pl",
      "/home/*/.local/share/containers/storage/overlay/*/merged/usr/libexec/openssh/sshd-session",
      "./merged/home/*/.local/share/containers/storage/overlay/*/merged/usr/libexec/openssh/sshd-session",
      "./merged/var/lib/containers/storage/overlay/*/merged/usr/libexec/openssh/sshd-session",
      "/var/lib/containers/storage/overlay/*/merged/usr/libexec/openssh/sshd-session", "/tmp/*/.vscode-server/bin/*/node",
      "/tmp/*/easybuild/LLVM/*/llvm.obj.*/bin/clang-*", "/sw/eb/sw/*", "/home/*/.vscode-server/cli/servers/Stable-*/server/node",
      "/home/*/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/@openai/codex/node_modules/@openai/codex-linux-x64/vendor/x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/codex/codex",
      "/home/*/.nvm/versions/node/*/bin/node", "/home/*/cricket/util/cenic/decomDevice.pl", "/home/*/.cursor-server/bin/linux-x64/*/node",
      "/home/*/h/*/anaconda3/envs/gd/bin/python3.*", "/tmp/.tmp*/.vscode-server/cli/servers/Stable-*/server/node",
      "/home/*/my-tools/kitty.app/bin/kitty", "/home/*/bin/ext/gocryptfs*", "/home/*/.local/bin/micromamba",
      "/tmp/.mount_Cursor*/usr/share/cursor/cursor", "/home/*/sp/bin/goofys", "/usr/bin/cmake", "/tmp/vscode-komo/*/server/node",
      "/home/*/sysadmin/linuxCommands/OnGuard/clearpass-onguard-installer*", "/home/*/Downloads/Antigravity-arm64/antigravity"
    ) or
    process.executable like (
      "./sh/relaunch.sh", "./install-components.sh", "./clean-docker.sh", "./docker-deploy.sh", "./bin/deploy-nautilus", "./get_helm.sh",
      "/home/*/scripts/odoo.sh", "/home/*/Scripts/.clear_etc_hosts.sh", "/home/*/Scripts/simplified_add_private_ips_to_etc_hosts.sh",
      "/home/*/.local/bin/sshuttle", "/home/*/.linuxbrew/bin/brew", "/home/*/repos/gocryptfs/fortanix-dsm-fseagent", "/home/*/bin/rootlesskit",
      "/home/grads/*/miniconda3/envs/*/bin/python*", "/home/grads/*/anaconda3/envs/*/bin/python*", "/home/staff/*/.local/share/uv/python/cpython-*/bin/python*",
      "/home/*/ntl/venv/bin/python", "/home/*/.venv/lib/python*/site-packages/playwright/driver/node", "/home/*/cricket/cricket/util/cenic/*.pl",
      "/home/*/run_metering_for_all_times.sh", "/home/*/bin/crc", "/home/*/crc-linux-*/crc", "/home/*/.local/bin/k8t", "/home/*/bin/minikube",
      "/home/*/.local/share/fnm/node-versions/v*/installation/bin/node", "/home/*/.nvm/versions/node/v*/bin/node", "/home/*/.hermes/node/bin/node",
      "/home/*/updateThingsBoard/*.sh", "/home/*/.ampdata/instances/*/AMP_Linux_x86_64", "/home/*/utils/vpn/vpn.sh", "/home/*/local/bin/pvbatch",
      "/tmp/newroot/usr/bin/flatpak", "/tmp/newroot/usr/bin/sh", "/cav/gtm/lke", "/home/*/cricket/util/cenic/*.pl", "/home/*/restart_starman.sh",
      "/home/*/Programy/DCC_harris_release/dcc", "/tmp/newroot/var/lib/awx/venv/awx/bin/python3", "/tmp/var/lib/awx/venv/awx/bin/python3",
      "/home/oracle/bin/request-daily.sh", "./merged/var/lib/containers/storage/overlay/*", "/usr/bin/podman", "/home/*/.conda/envs/*/bin/python",
      "/home/*/go/src/*/odinq", "/tmp/newroot/usr/bin/sudo", "/usr/bin/consolehelper", "/home/*/llama.cpp/build/bin/llama-server"
    ) or
    process.command_line in ("/usr/bin/env bash ./run_docker.sh", "/usr/bin/env bash ./run_docker_prod.sh") or 
    (process.parent.executable == "/tmp/newroot/var/lib/awx/venv/awx/bin/python3" and process.executable == "/tmp/newroot/var/lib/awx/venv/awx/bin/python3") or
    (process.parent.executable == "/tmp/newroot/etc/profiles/per-user/tilupe/bin/starship" and process.executable == "/tmp/newroot/etc/profiles/per-user/tilupe/bin/starship")
  )] by process.entity_id
  [process where event.type == "change" and event.action == "uid_change" and
  user.id == 0 and process.parent.user.id != 0 and process.parent.group.id != 0 and
  process.executable != "/usr/bin/sudo"] by process.parent.entity_id
'''

min_endpoint_version = "8.2.0"
optional_actions = []
[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
field = "process.entity_id"
state = 0

[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
field = "process.entity_id"
state = 1

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

[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
field = "process.parent.entity_id"
state = 1

[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1068"
name = "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1068/"


[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0004"
name = "Privilege Escalation"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0004/"

[internal]
min_endpoint_version = "8.2.0"

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