Linux Account Manipulation Of SSH Config and Keys

name: Linux Account Manipulation Of SSH Config and Keys
id: 73a56508-1cf5-4df7-b8d9-5737fbdc27d2
version: 11
date: '2026-03-10'
author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
status: production
type: Anomaly
description: The following analytic detects the deletion of SSH keys on a Linux machine. It leverages filesystem event logs to identify when files within "/etc/ssh/*" or "~/.ssh/*" are deleted. This activity is significant because attackers may delete or modify SSH keys to evade security measures or as part of a destructive payload, similar to the AcidRain malware. If confirmed malicious, this behavior could lead to impaired security features, hindered forensic investigations, or further unauthorized access, necessitating immediate investigation to identify the responsible process and user.
data_source:
    - Sysmon for Linux EventID 11
search: |-
    | tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Filesystem
      WHERE Filesystem.action=deleted
        AND
        Filesystem.file_path IN ("/etc/ssh/*", "~/.ssh/*")
      BY Filesystem.action Filesystem.dest Filesystem.file_access_time
         Filesystem.file_create_time Filesystem.file_hash Filesystem.file_modify_time
         Filesystem.file_name Filesystem.file_path Filesystem.file_acl
         Filesystem.file_size Filesystem.process_guid Filesystem.process_id
         Filesystem.user Filesystem.vendor_product
    | `drop_dm_object_name(Filesystem)`
    | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
    | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
    | `linux_account_manipulation_of_ssh_config_and_keys_filter`
how_to_implement: To successfully implement this search, you need to be ingesting logs with the process name, parent process, and command-line executions from your endpoints. If you are using Sysmon, you can use the Add-on for Linux Sysmon from Splunkbase.
known_false_positives: Administrator or network operator can execute this command. Please update the filter macros to remove false positives.
references:
    - https://www.sentinelone.com/labs/acidrain-a-modem-wiper-rains-down-on-europe/
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: SSH Config and keys are deleted on $dest$ by Process GUID - $process_guid$
    risk_objects:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 20
    threat_objects: []
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - AcidRain
        - Hellcat Ransomware
    asset_type: Endpoint
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1070.004
        - T1485
    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/malware/acidrain/sysmon_linux.log
          source: Syslog:Linux-Sysmon/Operational
          sourcetype: sysmon:linux