MacOS Hidden Files and Directories

name: MacOS Hidden Files and Directories
id: 51c43b7b-e406-45d2-9bad-5c67f07e6528
version: 3
creation_date: '2026-04-14'
modification_date: '2026-05-13'
author: Raven Tait, Splunk
status: production
type: Anomaly
description: |-
    The following analytic detects suspicious creation of hidden files and directories, which may indicate an attacker's attempt to conceal malicious activities or unauthorized data.
    Hidden files and directories are often used to evade detection by security tools and administrators, providing a stealthy means for storing malware, logs, or sensitive information.
    By monitoring for unusual or unauthorized creation of hidden files and directories, this analytic helps identify potential attempts to hide or unauthorized creation of hidden files and directories, and helps identify potential attempts to hide malicious operations, enabling security teams to uncover and address hidden threats effectively.
data_source:
    - Osquery Results
search: |-
    | tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where

    (
        Processes.process="*chflags *"
        Processes.process="* hidden*"
    )
    OR
    (
        Processes.process="*xattr *"
        Processes.process="* -wx *"
        Processes.process="*com.apple.FinderInfo*"
    )

    by Processes.dest Processes.original_file_name Processes.parent_process_id
       Processes.process Processes.process_exec Processes.process_guid
       Processes.process_hash Processes.process_id
       Processes.process_current_directory Processes.process_name
       Processes.process_path Processes.user
       Processes.user_id Processes.vendor_product

    | `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)`
    | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
    | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
    | `macos_hidden_files_and_directories_filter`
how_to_implement: |-
    This detection uses osquery and endpoint security on MacOS. Follow the link in references, which describes how to setup process auditing in MacOS with endpoint security and osquery.
    Also the [TA-OSquery](https://splunkbase.splunk.com/app/8574) must be deployed across your indexers and universal forwarders in order to have the osquery data populate the data models.
known_false_positives: |-
    Power users or developers utilizing build tools or CI/CD tools could trigger this activity.
references:
    - https://osquery.readthedocs.io/en/stable/deployment/process-auditing/
    - https://ss64.com/mac/chflags.html
    - https://ss64.com/mac/xattr.html
drilldown_searches:
    - name: View the detection results for - "$user$" and "$dest$"
      search: '%original_detection_search% | search  user = "$user$" dest = "$dest$"'
      earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
    - name: View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$user$" and "$dest$"
      search: '| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$user$", "$dest$") | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime values(search_name) as "Search Name" values(risk_message) as "Risk Message" values(analyticstories) as "Analytic Stories" values(annotations._all) as "Annotations" values(annotations.mitre_attack.mitre_tactic) as "ATT&CK Tactics" by normalized_risk_object | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`'
      earliest_offset: 7d
      latest_offset: "0"
intermediate_findings:
    entities:
        - field: user
          type: user
          score: 20
          message: Attempt to hide files on $dest$ by $user$ via $process$
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 20
          message: Attempt to hide files on $dest$ by $user$ via $process$
threat_objects:
    - field: process
      type: process
analytic_story:
    - MacOS Persistence Techniques
asset_type: Endpoint
mitre_attack_id:
    - T1564.001
product:
    - Splunk Enterprise
    - Splunk Enterprise Security
    - Splunk Cloud
category: endpoint
security_domain: endpoint
tests:
    - name: True Positive Test
      attack_data:
        - data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1564.001/osquery_hidden_files/osquery.log
          source: osquery
          sourcetype: osquery:results
      test_type: unit