User Added To Admin Group Via DseditGroup — Sigma Rule

Rule metadata and linked tags

Author: Sohan G (D4rkCiph3r). Source status: test; severity: medium. Source dates: 2023-08-22 / not supplied.

{
  "category": "process_creation",
  "product": "macos"
}

Pinned original Sigma rule · Detection Rule License 1.1

Source SHA-256: 57e7645f47d67710fffe701fcf2c5ad4d3dbe1c028b9f80e461367397a88724a

Detection logic

Original source YAML. Source-tag agreement is not proof of complete semantic coverage. This rule has not been compiled for a SIEM backend or validated against live telemetry here.

title: User Added To Admin Group Via DseditGroup
id: 5d0fdb62-f225-42fb-8402-3dfe64da468a
status: test
description: Detects attempts to create and/or add an account to the admin group, thus granting admin privileges.
references:
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/master/atomics/T1078.003/T1078.003.md#atomic-test-5---add-a-newexisting-user-to-the-admin-group-using-dseditgroup-utility---macos
    - https://ss64.com/osx/dseditgroup.html
author: Sohan G (D4rkCiph3r)
date: 2023-08-22
tags:
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.initial-access
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1078.003
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: macos
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '/dseditgroup'
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - ' -o edit ' # edit operation
            - ' -a ' # username
            - ' -t user'
            - 'admin' # Group name
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate administration activities
level: medium

Original YAML and metadata in JSON

False positives

• Legitimate administration activities

Source references

• https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/master/atomics/T1078.003/T1078.003.md#atomic-test-5---add-a-newexisting-user-to-the-admin-group-using-dseditgroup-utility---macos
• https://ss64.com/osx/dseditgroup.html