Suspicious Package Installed - Linux — Sigma Rule

Rule metadata and linked tags

Author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems). Source status: test; severity: medium. Source dates: 2023-01-03 / 2026-01-01.

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

Pinned original Sigma rule · Detection Rule License 1.1

Source SHA-256: d12e6bc0d1c32b78c57b57c1237c025a8dbf88f728dde760a1ed2575e0ee2bdb

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: Suspicious Package Installed - Linux
id: 700fb7e8-2981-401c-8430-be58e189e741
status: test
description: Detects installation of suspicious packages using system installation utilities
references:
    - https://gist.githubusercontent.com/MichaelKoczwara/12faba9c061c12b5814b711166de8c2f/raw/e2068486692897b620c25fde1ea258c8218fe3d3/history.txt
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
date: 2023-01-03
modified: 2026-01-01
tags:
    - attack.defense-impairment
    - attack.t1553.004
logsource:
    product: linux
    category: process_creation
detection:
    selection_tool_apt:
        Image|endswith:
            - '/apt'
            - '/apt-get'
        CommandLine|contains: 'install'
    selection_tool_yum:
        Image|endswith: '/yum'
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'localinstall'
            - 'install'
    selection_tool_rpm:
        Image|endswith: '/rpm'
        CommandLine|contains: '-i'
    selection_tool_dpkg:
        Image|endswith: '/dpkg'
        CommandLine|contains:
            - '--install'
            - '-i'
    selection_keyword:
        CommandLine|contains:
            # Add more suspicious packages
            - 'nmap'
            - ' nc'
            - 'netcat'
            - 'wireshark'
            - 'tshark'
            - 'openconnect'
            - 'proxychains'
            - 'socat'
    condition: 1 of selection_tool_* and selection_keyword
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate administration activities
level: medium

Original YAML and metadata in JSON

False positives

• Legitimate administration activities

Source references

• https://gist.githubusercontent.com/MichaelKoczwara/12faba9c061c12b5814b711166de8c2f/raw/e2068486692897b620c25fde1ea258c8218fe3d3/history.txt