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Potential XCSSET Malware Infection

Identifies the execution traces of the XCSSET malware. XCSSET is a macOS trojan that primarily spreads via Xcode projects and maliciously modifies applications. Infected users are also vulnerable to having their credentials, accounts, and other vital data stolen.

Detection Query

selection_1_curl:
  ParentImage|endswith: /bash
  Image|endswith: /curl
  CommandLine|contains:
    - /sys/log.php
    - /sys/prepod.php
    - /sys/bin/Pods
selection_1_https:
  CommandLine|contains: https://
selection_other_1:
  ParentImage|endswith: /bash
  Image|endswith: /osacompile
  CommandLine|contains|all:
    - /Users/
    - /Library/Group Containers/
selection_other_2:
  ParentImage|endswith: /bash
  Image|endswith: /plutil
  CommandLine|contains|all:
    - LSUIElement
    - /Users/
    - /Library/Group Containers/
selection_other_3:
  Image|endswith: /zip
  CommandLine|contains|all:
    - -r
    - /Users/
    - /Library/Group Containers/
condition: all of selection_1_* or 1 of selection_other_*

Author

Tim Rauch (rule), Elastic (idea)

Created

2022-10-17

Data Sources

macosProcess Creation Events

Platforms

macos

Tags

attack.command-and-control
Raw Content
title: Potential XCSSET Malware Infection
id: 47d65ac0-c06f-4ba2-a2e3-d263139d0f51
status: test
description: Identifies the execution traces of the XCSSET malware. XCSSET is a macOS trojan that primarily spreads via Xcode projects and maliciously modifies applications. Infected users are also vulnerable to having their credentials, accounts, and other vital data stolen.
references:
    - https://github.com/elastic/protections-artifacts/commit/746086721fd385d9f5c6647cada1788db4aea95f#diff-f5deb07688e1a8dec9530bc3071967b2da5c16b482e671812b864c37beb28f08
    - https://malpedia.caad.fkie.fraunhofer.de/details/osx.xcsset
author: Tim Rauch (rule), Elastic (idea)
date: 2022-10-17
tags:
    - attack.command-and-control
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: macos
detection:
    selection_1_curl:
        ParentImage|endswith: '/bash'
        Image|endswith: '/curl'
        CommandLine|contains:
            - '/sys/log.php'
            - '/sys/prepod.php'
            - '/sys/bin/Pods'
    selection_1_https:
        CommandLine|contains: 'https://'
    selection_other_1:
        ParentImage|endswith: '/bash'
        Image|endswith: '/osacompile'
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - '/Users/'
            - '/Library/Group Containers/'
    selection_other_2:
        ParentImage|endswith: '/bash'
        Image|endswith: '/plutil'
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - 'LSUIElement'
            - '/Users/'
            - '/Library/Group Containers/'
    selection_other_3:
        Image|endswith: '/zip'
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - '-r'
            - '/Users/'
            - '/Library/Group Containers/'
    condition: all of selection_1_* or 1 of selection_other_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium