---
title: "Linux Service Restarted"
excerpt: "Systemd Timers, Scheduled Task/Job"
categories:
  - Endpoint
last_modified_at: 2021-12-20
toc: true
toc_label: ""
tags:
  - Systemd Timers
  - Execution
  - Persistence
  - Privilege Escalation
  - Scheduled Task/Job
  - Execution
  - Persistence
  - Privilege Escalation
  - Splunk Enterprise
  - Splunk Enterprise Security
  - Splunk Cloud
  - Endpoint
---



[Try in Splunk Security Cloud](https://www.splunk.com/en_us/cyber-security.html){: .btn .btn--success}

#### Description

This analytic looks for restarted or re-enable services in linux platform. This technique can be executed or performed using systemctl or service tool application. Adversaries may create or modify Windows services to repeatedly execute malicious payloads as part of persistence. When Windows boots up, it starts programs or applications called services that perform background system functions. Administrator may also create a legitimated service for a specific tool or normal application as part of task or automation, in this scenario it is suggested to look for the service path of the actual script or executable that register as service and who created the service for further verification.

- **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**: 2021-12-20
- **Author**: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
- **ID**: 084275ba-61b8-11ec-8d64-acde48001122


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

| ID             | Technique        |  Tactic             |
| -------------- | ---------------- |-------------------- |
| [T1053.006](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1053/006/) | Systemd Timers | Execution, Persistence, Privilege Escalation |

| [T1053](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1053/) | Scheduled Task/Job | Execution, Persistence, Privilege Escalation |

#### Search

```

| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where (Processes.process_name IN ("systemctl", "service") OR Processes.process IN ("*systemctl *", "*service *")) Processes.process IN ("*restart*", "*reload*", "*reenable*") 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_service_restarted_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_service_restarted_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 commandline 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 use this commandline for automation purposes. 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      |
| ----------- | ----------- |--------------|--------------|
| 25.0 | 50 | 50 | A commandline $process$ that may create or start a service on $dest$ |


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



#### Reference

* [https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1543/003/](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1543/003/)



#### 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/T1053.006/service_systemd/sysmon_linux.log](https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1053.006/service_systemd/sysmon_linux.log)



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