Linux Possible Cronjob Modification With Editor

name: Linux Possible Cronjob Modification With Editor
id: dcc89bde-5f24-11ec-87ca-acde48001122
version: 9
date: '2026-02-25'
author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
status: production
type: Hunting
description: The following analytic detects potential unauthorized modifications to Linux cronjobs using text editors like "nano," "vi," or "vim." It identifies this activity by monitoring command-line executions that interact with cronjob configuration paths. This behavior is significant for a SOC as it may indicate attempts at privilege escalation or establishing persistent access. If confirmed malicious, the impact could be severe, allowing attackers to execute damaging actions such as data theft, system sabotage, or further network penetration.
data_source:
    - Sysmon for Linux EventID 1
search: |-
    | tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Processes
      WHERE (
            Processes.process_name IN("nano","vim.basic")
            OR
            Processes.process IN ("*nano *", "*vi *", "*vim *")
        )
        AND Processes.process IN("*/etc/cron*", "*/var/spool/cron/*", "*/etc/anacrontab*")
      BY Processes.action Processes.dest Processes.original_file_name
         Processes.parent_process Processes.parent_process_exec Processes.parent_process_guid
         Processes.parent_process_id Processes.parent_process_name Processes.parent_process_path
         Processes.process Processes.process_exec Processes.process_guid
         Processes.process_hash Processes.process_id Processes.process_integrity_level
         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)`
    | `linux_possible_cronjob_modification_with_editor_filter`
how_to_implement: The detection is based on data that originates from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents. These agents are designed to provide security-related telemetry from the endpoints where the agent is installed. To implement this search, you must ingest logs that contain the process GUID, process name, and parent process. Additionally, you must ingest complete command-line executions. These logs must be processed using the appropriate Splunk Technology Add-ons that are specific to the EDR product. The logs must also be mapped to the `Processes` node of the `Endpoint` data model. Use the Splunk Common Information Model (CIM) to normalize the field names and speed up the data modeling process.
known_false_positives: Administrator or network operator can use this commandline for automation purposes. Please update the filter macros to remove false positives.
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1053/003/
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - XorDDos
        - Linux Living Off The Land
        - Linux Privilege Escalation
        - Scheduled Tasks
        - Linux Persistence Techniques
    asset_type: Endpoint
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1053.003
    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/T1053.003/cronjobs_entry/sysmon_linux.log
          source: Syslog:Linux-Sysmon/Operational
          sourcetype: sysmon:linux