splunk_escuTTP

Linux Auditd Preload Hijack Library Calls

The following analytic detects the use of the LD_PRELOAD environment variable to hijack or hook library functions on a Linux platform. It leverages data from Linux Auditd, focusing on process execution logs that include command-line details. This activity is significant because adversaries, malware authors, and red teamers commonly use this technique to gain elevated privileges and establish persistence on a compromised machine. If confirmed malicious, this behavior could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code, escalate privileges, and maintain long-term access to the system.

MITRE ATT&CK

T1574.006

persistenceprivilege-escalationdefense-evasion

Detection Query

`linux_auditd` execve_command = "*LD_PRELOAD*"
  | rename host as dest
  | rename comm as process_name
  | rename exe as process
  | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime
    BY argc execve_command dest
  | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
  | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
  | `linux_auditd_preload_hijack_library_calls_filter`

Author

Teoderick Contreras, Splunk

Created

2026-03-10

Data Sources

Linux Auditd Execve

References

https://compilepeace.medium.com/memory-malware-part-0x2-writing-userland-rootkits-via-ld-preload-30121c8343d5

Tags

Linux Persistence TechniquesCompromised Linux HostChina-Nexus Threat ActivitySalt TyphoonLinux Privilege Escalation

Raw Content

name: Linux Auditd Preload Hijack Library Calls
id: 35c50572-a70b-452f-afa9-bebdf3c3ce36
version: 11
date: '2026-03-10'
author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
description: The following analytic detects the use of the LD_PRELOAD environment variable to hijack or hook library functions on a Linux platform. It leverages data from Linux Auditd, focusing on process execution logs that include command-line details. This activity is significant because adversaries, malware authors, and red teamers commonly use this technique to gain elevated privileges and establish persistence on a compromised machine. If confirmed malicious, this behavior could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code, escalate privileges, and maintain long-term access to the system.
data_source:
    - Linux Auditd Execve
search: |-
    `linux_auditd` execve_command = "*LD_PRELOAD*"
      | rename host as dest
      | rename comm as process_name
      | rename exe as process
      | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime
        BY argc execve_command dest
      | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
      | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
      | `linux_auditd_preload_hijack_library_calls_filter`
how_to_implement: To implement this detection, the process begins by ingesting auditd data, that consists of SYSCALL, TYPE, EXECVE and PROCTITLE events, which captures command-line executions and process details on Unix/Linux systems. These logs should be ingested and processed using Splunk Add-on for Unix and Linux (https://splunkbase.splunk.com/app/833), which is essential for correctly parsing and categorizing the data. The next step involves normalizing the field names  to match the field names set by the Splunk Common Information Model (CIM) to ensure consistency across different data sources and enhance the efficiency of data modeling. This approach enables effective monitoring and detection of linux endpoints where auditd is deployed
known_false_positives: Administrator or network operator can execute this command. Please update the filter macros to remove false positives.
references:
    - https://compilepeace.medium.com/memory-malware-part-0x2-writing-userland-rootkits-via-ld-preload-30121c8343d5
drilldown_searches:
    - name: View the detection results for - "$dest$"
      search: '%original_detection_search% | search  dest = "$dest$"'
      earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
    - name: View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$dest$"
      search: '| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$dest$") starthoursago=168  | 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: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
rba:
    message: A [$execve_command$] event occurred on host - [$dest$] to hijack or hook library functions using the LD_PRELOAD environment variable.
    risk_objects:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 50
    threat_objects: []
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - Linux Persistence Techniques
        - Compromised Linux Host
        - China-Nexus Threat Activity
        - Salt Typhoon
        - Linux Privilege Escalation
    asset_type: Endpoint
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1574.006
    product:
        - Splunk Enterprise
        - Splunk Enterprise Security
        - Splunk Cloud
    security_domain: endpoint
tests:
    - name: True Positive Test
      attack_data:
        - data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1574.006/linux_auditd_ldpreload/auditd_execve_ldpreload.log
          source: auditd
          sourcetype: auditd