---
title: "Linux Change File Owner To Root"
excerpt: "Linux and Mac File and Directory Permissions Modification, File and Directory Permissions Modification"
categories:
  - Endpoint
last_modified_at: 2021-12-21
toc: true
toc_label: ""
tags:
  - Linux and Mac File and Directory Permissions Modification
  - Defense Evasion
  - File and Directory Permissions Modification
  - Defense Evasion
  - Splunk Enterprise
  - Splunk Enterprise Security
  - Splunk Cloud
  - Endpoint
---



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#### Description

This analytic looks for a commandline that change the file owner to root using chown utility tool. This technique is commonly abuse by adversaries, malware author and red teamers to escalate privilege to the targeted or compromised host by changing the owner of their malicious file to root. This event is not so common in corporate network except from the administrator doing normal task that needs high privilege.

- **Type**: [Anomaly](https://github.com/splunk/security_content/wiki/Detection-Analytic-Types)
- **Product**: Splunk Enterprise, Splunk Enterprise Security, Splunk Cloud
- **Datamodel**: [Endpoint](https://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/CIM/latest/User/Endpoint)
- **Last Updated**: 2021-12-21
- **Author**: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
- **ID**: c1400ea2-6257-11ec-ad49-acde48001122


#### [ATT&CK](https://attack.mitre.org/)

| ID             | Technique        |  Tactic             |
| -------------- | ---------------- |-------------------- |
| [T1222.002](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1222/002/) | Linux and Mac File and Directory Permissions Modification | Defense Evasion |

| [T1222](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1222/) | File and Directory Permissions Modification | Defense Evasion |

#### Search

```

| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where (Processes.process_name = chown OR Processes.process = "*chown *") AND Processes.process = "* root *" by Processes.dest Processes.user Processes.parent_process_name Processes.process_name Processes.process Processes.process_id Processes.parent_process_id Processes.process_guid 
| `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)` 
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` 
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` 
| `linux_change_file_owner_to_root_filter`
```

#### Macros
The SPL above uses the following Macros:
* [security_content_ctime](https://github.com/splunk/security_content/blob/develop/macros/security_content_ctime.yml)
* [security_content_summariesonly](https://github.com/splunk/security_content/blob/develop/macros/security_content_summariesonly.yml)

Note that `linux_change_file_owner_to_root_filter` is a empty macro by default. It allows the user to filter out any results (false positives) without editing the SPL.

#### Required field
* _time
* Processes.dest
* Processes.user
* Processes.parent_process_name
* Processes.process_name
* Processes.process
* Processes.process_id
* Processes.parent_process_id


#### How To Implement
To successfully implement this search, you need to be ingesting logs with the process name, parent process, and command-line executions from your endpoints. If you are using Sysmon, you can use the Add-on for Linux Sysmon from Splunkbase.

#### Known False Positives
Administrator or network operator can execute this command. Please update the filter macros to remove false positives.

#### Associated Analytic story
* [Linux Privilege Escalation](/stories/linux_privilege_escalation)
* [Linux Persistence Techniques](/stories/linux_persistence_techniques)


#### Kill Chain Phase
* Privilege Escalation



#### RBA

| Risk Score  | Impact      | Confidence   | Message      |
| ----------- | ----------- |--------------|--------------|
| 64.0 | 80 | 80 | A commandline $process$ that may change ownership to root on $dest$ |


Note that risk score is calculated base on the following formula: `(Impact * Confidence)/100`



#### Reference

* [https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/101073/how-to-change-permissions-from-root-user-to-all-users](https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/101073/how-to-change-permissions-from-root-user-to-all-users)
* [https://askubuntu.com/questions/617850/changing-from-user-to-superuser](https://askubuntu.com/questions/617850/changing-from-user-to-superuser)



#### Test Dataset
Replay any dataset to Splunk Enterprise by using our [`replay.py`](https://github.com/splunk/attack_data#using-replaypy) tool or the [UI](https://github.com/splunk/attack_data#using-ui).
Alternatively you can replay a dataset into a [Splunk Attack Range](https://github.com/splunk/attack_range#replay-dumps-into-attack-range-splunk-server)

* [https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1548.001/chmod_uid/sysmon_linux.log](https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1548.001/chmod_uid/sysmon_linux.log)



[*source*](https://github.com/splunk/security_content/tree/develop/detections/endpoint/linux_change_file_owner_to_root.yml) \| *version*: **1**