splunk_escuAnomaly

Linux Stdout Redirection To Dev Null File

The following analytic detects command-line activities that redirect stdout or stderr to the /dev/null file. It leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process execution logs. This behavior is significant as it can indicate attempts to hide command outputs, a technique observed in the CyclopsBlink malware to conceal modifications to iptables firewall settings. If confirmed malicious, this activity could allow an attacker to stealthily alter system configurations, potentially leading to unauthorized access or persistent control over the compromised machine.

MITRE ATT&CK

T1562.004

Detection Query

| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Processes
  WHERE Processes.process = "*&amp;&gt;/dev/null*"
  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_stdout_redirection_to_dev_null_file_filter`

Author

Teoderick Contreras, Splunk

Created

2026-03-10

Data Sources

Sysmon for Linux EventID 1

References

Tags

Cyclops BlinkData DestructionIndustroyer2

Raw Content

name: Linux Stdout Redirection To Dev Null File
id: de62b809-a04d-46b5-9a15-8298d330f0c8
version: 11
date: '2026-03-10'
author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
status: production
type: Anomaly
description: The following analytic detects command-line activities that redirect stdout or stderr to the /dev/null file. It leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process execution logs. This behavior is significant as it can indicate attempts to hide command outputs, a technique observed in the CyclopsBlink malware to conceal modifications to iptables firewall settings. If confirmed malicious, this activity could allow an attacker to stealthily alter system configurations, potentially leading to unauthorized access or persistent control over the compromised machine.
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 = "*&amp;&gt;/dev/null*"
      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_stdout_redirection_to_dev_null_file_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: No false positives have been identified at this time.
references:
    - https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/files/Cyclops-Blink-Malware-Analysis-Report.pdf
    - https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/22/c/cyclops-blink-sets-sights-on-asus-routers--.html
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 commandline $process$ that redirect stdout to dev/null on $dest$
    risk_objects:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 20
    threat_objects: []
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - Cyclops Blink
        - Data Destruction
        - Industroyer2
    asset_type: Endpoint
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1562.004
    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/cyclopsblink/sysmon_linux.log
          source: Syslog:Linux-Sysmon/Operational
          sourcetype: sysmon:linux