Analytics Alerts

Browse the Cortex analytics alert reference.

Severity
Detection module
Data source
  • Azure virtual machine commands execution Informational Cloud 2 variations

    An Azure virtual machine executed PowerShell commands with System privileges.

    Activation:
    14 Days
    Training:
    30 Days
    Test:
    N/A (single event)
    Deduplication:
    3 Hours
    ATT&CK tactics: Execution (TA0002) Lateral Movement (TA0008)
    ATT&CK techniques: Cloud Administration Command (T1651) Command and Scripting Interpreter: Cloud API (T1059.009) Remote Services: Cloud Services (T1021.007)
    Required data: Azure Audit Log
    Attacker's goals: Execute arbitrary code inside a VM without needing SSH/RDP or any open inbound network path.
    Investigative actions: Identify the target VM resource and the subscription / resource group it belongs to. Retrieve the script payload sent via Run Command. Verify whether the calling identity is normally entitled to perform VM Run Command on this VM. Check for related anomalies on the same identity.

    Variations

    Unusual Azure VM remote command execution

    Low overridden

    An Azure virtual machine executed PowerShell commands with System privileges. overridden

    First Azure VM remote command execution on this VM

    Informational overridden

    An Azure virtual machine executed PowerShell commands with System privileges. overridden

  • Uncommon Linux remote shell command execution Informational 15 variations

    An unusual process execution of a shell command on Linux from a remote source. This action may indicate possible exploitation or shell command execution via a backdoor.

    Activation:
    14 Days
    Training:
    30 Days
    Test:
    N/A (single event)
    Deduplication:
    1 Day
    ATT&CK tactics: Execution (TA0002) Lateral Movement (TA0008)
    ATT&CK techniques: Command and Scripting Interpreter: Unix Shell (T1059.004) Command and Scripting Interpreter (T1059) Remote Services (T1021)
    Required data: XDR Agent
    Detector tags: Shell Analytics
    Attacker's goals: An attacker may attempt to execute a malicious shell command on the system.
    Investigative actions: Check whether the executing process is benign and if this was a desired behavior as part of its normal execution flow. Check the executed shell command (and possible child processes) for malicious actions.

    Variations

    Uncommon Linux remote shell command execution, possibly running LinPEAS

    High overridden

    An unusual process execution of a shell command on Linux from a remote source. This action may indicate possible exploitation or shell command execution via a backdoor. overridden

    Uncommon Linux remote shell command execution using an exploitation tool

    High overridden

    An unusual process execution of a shell command on Linux from a remote source. This action may indicate possible exploitation or shell command execution via a backdoor. overridden

    Uncommon Linux remote shell command execution executing a reverse interactive shell

    Medium overridden

    An unusual process execution of a shell command on Linux from a remote source. This action may indicate possible exploitation or shell command execution via a backdoor. overridden

    Uncommon Linux remote shell command execution downloading a shell script

    Medium overridden

    An unusual process execution of a shell command on Linux from a remote source. This action may indicate possible exploitation or shell command execution via a backdoor. overridden

    Uncommon Linux remote shell command execution disabling firewall

    Low overridden

    An unusual process execution of a shell command on Linux from a remote source. This action may indicate possible exploitation or shell command execution via a backdoor. overridden

    Uncommon Linux remote shell command execution taking a screenshot

    Low overridden

    An unusual process execution of a shell command on Linux from a remote source. This action may indicate possible exploitation or shell command execution via a backdoor. overridden

    Uncommon Linux remote shell command execution possibly running from an XZ backdoor

    Low overridden

    An unusual process execution of a shell command on Linux from a remote source. This action may indicate possible exploitation or shell command execution via a backdoor. overridden

    Uncommon Linux remote shell command execution running as root

    Low overridden

    An unusual process execution of a shell command on Linux from a remote source. This action may indicate possible exploitation or shell command execution via a backdoor. overridden

    Uncommon Linux remote shell command execution setting a scheduled task

    Low overridden

    An unusual process execution of a shell command on Linux from a remote source. This action may indicate possible exploitation or shell command execution via a backdoor. overridden

    Uncommon Linux remote shell command execution running a process kill command

    Low overridden

    An unusual process execution of a shell command on Linux from a remote source. This action may indicate possible exploitation or shell command execution via a backdoor. overridden

    Uncommon Linux remote shell command execution loading a kernel module

    Informational overridden

    An unusual process execution of a shell command on Linux from a remote source. This action may indicate possible exploitation or shell command execution via a backdoor. overridden

    Uncommon Linux remote shell command execution via non-SSH or SSH on a non-standard port

    Informational overridden

    An unusual process execution of a shell command on Linux from a remote source. This action may indicate possible exploitation or shell command execution via a backdoor. overridden

    Uncommon Linux remote shell command execution running a network tool

    Informational overridden

    An unusual process execution of a shell command on Linux from a remote source. This action may indicate possible exploitation or shell command execution via a backdoor. overridden

    Uncommon Linux remote shell command execution trying to gather information about the system

    Informational overridden

    An unusual process execution of a shell command on Linux from a remote source. This action may indicate possible exploitation or shell command execution via a backdoor. overridden

    Uncommon Linux remote shell command execution, possibly granting file execution permissions

    Informational overridden

    An unusual process execution of a shell command on Linux from a remote source. This action may indicate possible exploitation or shell command execution via a backdoor. overridden

  • Wsmprovhost.exe Rare Child Process Low

    The PowerShell host wsmprovhost.exe is a proxy process executed remotely through PowerShell when using Windows Remote Management (WinRM). It has executed a rare child process, which may indicate remote code execution abuse by an attacker.

    Activation:
    14 Days
    Training:
    30 Days
    Test:
    N/A (single event)
    Deduplication:
    1 Day
    ATT&CK tactics: Lateral Movement (TA0008) Execution (TA0002)
    ATT&CK techniques: Remote Services: Windows Remote Management (T1021.006) Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell (T1059.001)
    Required data: XDR Agent
    Attacker's goals: Gain code execution on a remote host.
    Investigative actions: Investigate the processes being spawned from Wsmprovhost.exe on the host for malicious indicators. Correlate the initiator process (most likely PowerShell) to the source host and investigate it.