AN1038: Analytic 1038
Correlate file modifications in shell startup scripts (e.g., .bashrc, .profile) with embedded `trap` commands and observe if those changes are followed by the unexpected execution of child processes when terminal signals (e.g., SIGINT) are triggered. Use contextual linking with user session activity to detect privilege misuse.
Analyst context for executives and security teams
This analytic matters because Linux shell startup files can turn normal user logins or terminal activity into an execution trigger. For leaders, the practical issue is not the specific shell syntax; it is whether the organization can prove it would notice suspicious changes to user startup scripts and connect them to unexpected process execution during a user session.
Executive priority
Prioritize this as a Linux endpoint and privileged-user monitoring question. Security leaders should ask whether SOC and IR teams collect enough file, process, and session context to investigate misuse of shell initialization files, especially on administrative workstations, servers, and shared Linux environments. The value is in reducing persistence and privilege-misuse blind spots and improving incident evidence quality, not in assuming this analytic alone provides complete coverage.
Technical view
For Linux systems, validate correlation between modifications to shell startup scripts such as .bashrc and .profile, embedded trap commands, user session activity, terminal signal events where observable, and unexpected child process execution after signals such as SIGINT. Because ATT&CK provides no separate detection logic or relationship context for this analytic, teams should treat it as a detection engineering pattern requiring local baselining of normal shell customization and administrative behavior.
Likely telemetry
- Linux file modification events for user shell startup scripts such as .bashrc and .profile
- File content or command-line inspection sufficient to identify embedded trap commands, where policy and tooling allow
- Process creation telemetry showing parent-child relationships from shells and terminal sessions
- User session context, including interactive logins and account identity
- Signal-related or terminal activity evidence where available from endpoint, audit, or EDR tooling
Detection direction
- Confirm whether endpoint telemetry can link a startup file modification to the same user session and later child process execution.
- Tune for unexpected or newly introduced trap commands in shell initialization files, especially when followed by unusual child processes.
- Baseline legitimate administrator and developer shell customizations to reduce false positives.
- Pay attention to shared accounts, sudo-heavy workflows, and systems with limited process lineage, because these can weaken attribution and correlation.
- Do not rely on filename matching alone; the analytic depends on contextual linking between file changes, shell behavior, and session activity.
Mitigation priorities
- Restrict and monitor changes to shell startup files on sensitive Linux systems where operationally feasible.
- Apply least privilege and strong account hygiene for Linux administrative users.
- Ensure EDR, audit, or logging policies capture file modification and process lineage needed for investigation.
- Use configuration management or file integrity monitoring for high-value systems to identify unauthorized startup file drift.
- Document expected shell customization practices so SOC triage can distinguish normal administration from suspicious misuse.
Analyst notes and limits
This is a detection analytic object, not a full ATT&CK technique entry. The supplied object identifies Linux as the platform and describes a correlation strategy involving shell startup script changes, trap commands, terminal signals, child processes, and user session context. No tactics, relationships, aliases, or official detection implementation were supplied.
Coverage depends heavily on local Linux telemetry depth, process lineage quality, and whether file content or command inspection is available. The supplied ATT&CK fields do not support claims about active exploitation, adversary attribution, business impact, or guaranteed detection efficacy.
Analytic 1038
Correlate file modifications in shell startup scripts (e.g., .bashrc, .profile) with embedded `trap` commands and observe if those changes are followed by the unexpected execution of child processes when terminal signals (e.g., SIGINT) are triggered. Use contextual linking with user session activity to detect privilege misuse.
How security teams should use this page
Treat this object as behavior context, not an attribution claim. Validate the related groups, software, data sources, and mitigations against official ATT&CK relationships and your own telemetry before making control-coverage decisions.
All related ATT&CK context
No relationships are available in the current normalized data for this object.
Object version and sync metadata
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Imported snapshots across ATT&CK releases (1)
| Release | Bundle imported | Object version | Modified | Status | Raw hash |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19.1 | 1.0 | Current bundle | 7c36ac946bdd… |
Mirrored ATT&CK source object
The raw object is retained through the mirrored ATT&CK source bundle and object hash. The raw endpoint returns the exact object from the mirrored bundle when available.
External references and citations
MITRE external references are preserved separately from Glexia analysis so citations remain traceable to their original source records.
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mitre-attack AN1038Open source URL
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