IPv4/IPv6 Forwarding Activity

This rule monitors for the execution of commands that enable IPv4 and IPv6 forwarding on Linux systems. Enabling IP forwarding can be used to route network traffic between different network interfaces, potentially allowing attackers to pivot between networks, exfiltrate data, or establish command and control channels.

Rule type: eql

Rule indices:

logs-endpoint.events.*

Severity: low

Risk score: 21

Runs every: 5m

Searches indices from: now-9m (Date Math format, see also Additional look-back time)

Maximum alerts per execution: 100

References: None

Tags:

Domain: Endpoint
OS: Linux
Use Case: Threat Detection
Tactic: Command and Control
Data Source: Elastic Defend

Version: 1

Rule authors:

Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License v2

Rule query

edit

process where host.os.type == "linux" and event.type == "start" and event.action == "exec" and
process.parent.executable != null and process.command_line like (
  "*net.ipv4.ip_forward*", "*/proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward*", "*net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding*",
  "*/proc/sys/net/ipv6/conf/all/forwarding*"
) and (
  (process.name == "sysctl" and process.args like ("*-w*", "*--write*", "*=*")) or
  (
    process.name in ("bash", "dash", "sh", "tcsh", "csh", "zsh", "ksh", "fish") and process.args == "-c" and
    process.command_line like "*echo *"
  )
)

Framework: MITRE ATT&CK^TM

Tactic:
- Name: Command and Control
- ID: TA0011
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0011/
Technique:
- Name: Protocol Tunneling
- ID: T1572
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1572/

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