T1547.015: Login Items
Adversaries may add login items to execute upon user login to gain persistence or escalate privileges. Login items are applications, documents, folders, or server connections that are automatically launched when a user logs in.[1] Login items can be added via a shared file list or Service Management Framework.[2] Shared file list login items can be set using scripting languages such as AppleScript, whereas the Service Management Framework uses the API call SMLoginItemSetEnabled.
Login items installed using the Service Management Framework leverage launchd, are not visible in the System Preferences, and can only be removed by the application that created them.[2][3] Login items created using a shared file list are visible in System Preferences, can hide the application when it launches, and are executed through LaunchServices, not launchd, to open applications, documents, or URLs without using Finder.[4] Users and applications use login items to configure their user environment to launch commonly used services or applications, such as email, chat, and music applications.
Adversaries can utilize AppleScript and Native API calls to create a login item to spawn malicious executables.[5] Prior to version 10.5 on macOS, adversaries can add login items by using AppleScript to send an Apple events to the “System Events” process, which has an AppleScript dictionary for manipulating login items.[6] Adversaries can use a command such as tell application “System Events” to make login item at end with properties /path/to/executable.[7][8][9] This command adds the path of the malicious executable to the login item file list located in ~/Library/Application Support/com.apple.backgroundtaskmanagementagent/backgrounditems.btm.[7] Adversaries can also use login items to launch executables that can be used to control the victim system remotely or as a means to gain privilege escalation by prompting for user credentials.[10][11][12]
Security context for executives and security teams
T1547.015: Login Items describes Adversaries may add login items to execute upon user login to gain persistence or escalate privileges. Login items are applications, documents, folders, or server connections that are automatically launched when a user logs in.(Citation: Open Login Items Apple) Login items can be added via a shared file list or Service Management Framework.(Citation: Adding Login Items) Shared file list login items can be set using scripting languages such as [AppleScript](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/002), whereas the...
Executive priority
T1547.015: Login Items is an official MITRE ATT&CK technique. Glexia treats it as defensive behavior context for prioritizing monitoring, control validation, and response planning without using the object by itself as an attribution claim.
Technical view
Security teams should validate T1547.015: Login Items by reviewing the official ATT&CK relationships, mapped tactics (persistence, privilege-escalation), supported platforms (macOS), and available local telemetry before making detection or mitigation decisions.
Likely telemetry
- Official ATT&CK relationships and object metadata
- Identity, privilege, and authentication events
- Network, endpoint, and security-tool telemetry
Detection direction
- Validate whether T1547.015: Login Items appears in your detection coverage and tabletop scenarios.
- Use the object to align executive risk language with SOC, incident response, and detection engineering work.
- Do not treat ATT&CK relationship context as attribution without corroborating evidence.
Mitigation priorities
- Map the object to existing controls and identify missing telemetry or response ownership.
- Prioritize mitigations that reduce exposure on the listed platforms and tactics.
- Review adjacent ATT&CK relationships before changing policy, detections, or reporting language.
Additional notes and limits
Baseline Glexia take generated from the official MITRE ATT&CK STIX object, source hash, tactics, platforms, and detection fields. It is safe to replace with a richer model-generated take for the same source hash later.
This baseline take is source-grounded and schema-validated, but it does not include environment-specific telemetry, incident evidence, or threat-intelligence corroboration.
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Login Items
Adversaries may add login items to execute upon user login to gain persistence or escalate privileges. Login items are applications, documents, folders, or server connections that are automatically launched when a user logs in.[1] Login items can be added via a shared file list or Service Management Framework.[2] Shared file list login items can be set using scripting languages such as AppleScript, whereas the Service Management Framework uses the API call SMLoginItemSetEnabled.
Login items installed using the Service Management Framework leverage launchd, are not visible in the System Preferences, and can only be removed by the application that created them.[2][3] Login items created using a shared file list are visible in System Preferences, can hide the application when it launches, and are executed through LaunchServices, not launchd, to open applications, documents, or URLs without using Finder.[4] Users and applications use login items to configure their user environment to launch commonly used services or applications, such as email, chat, and music applications.
Adversaries can utilize AppleScript and Native API calls to create a login item to spawn malicious executables.[5] Prior to version 10.5 on macOS, adversaries can add login items by using AppleScript to send an Apple events to the “System Events” process, which has an AppleScript dictionary for manipulating login items.[6] Adversaries can use a command such as tell application “System Events” to make login item at end with properties /path/to/executable.[7][8][9] This command adds the path of the malicious executable to the login item file list located in ~/Library/Application Support/com.apple.backgroundtaskmanagementagent/backgrounditems.btm.[7] Adversaries can also use login items to launch executables that can be used to control the victim system remotely or as a means to gain privilege escalation by prompting for user credentials.[10][11][12]
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.
Related techniques
This mirrors the MITRE pattern of making group, software, campaign, and technique relationships scannable. Relationship notes come from mirrored ATT&CK relationship text when available.
| Domain | ID | Name | Relationship / procedure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise | T1547 | Boot or Logon Autostart Execution | This object subtechnique of Boot or Logon Autostart Execution. |
Groups, software, and campaigns
S0198: NETWIRE
S0690: Green Lambert
Green Lambert is a modular backdoor that security researchers assess has been used by an advanced threat group referred to as Longhorn and The Lamberts. First reported in 2017, the Windows variant of Green Lambert may have been used as early as 2008; a macOS version was uploaded to a multiscanner service in September 2014.[1][2]
S0281: Dok
Dok is a Trojan application disguised as a .zip file that is able to collect user credentials and install a malicious proxy server to redirect a user's network traffic (i.e. Adversary-in-the-Middle).[1][2][3]
All related ATT&CK context
Object version and sync metadata
The fields below describe the current mirrored snapshot. When Glexia retains multiple ATT&CK source imports, you can open the table to compare the same object across releases (hashes and MITRE timestamps). For MITRE’s own release notes and roadmap, see ATT&CK resources — Updates.
Imported snapshots across ATT&CK releases(2)
| Release | Bundle imported | Object version | Modified | Status | Raw hash |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19.2 | 1.1 | Current bundle | fe291268985f… | ||
| 19.1 | 1.1 | Older bundle | fe291268985f… |
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.
- [1]Open Login Items Apple
Apple. (n.d.). Open items automatically when you log in on Mac. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
Open source URL - [2]Adding Login Items
Apple. (2016, September 13). Adding Login Items. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
Open source URL - [3]SMLoginItemSetEnabled Schroeder 2013
Tim Schroeder. (2013, April 21). SMLoginItemSetEnabled Demystified. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
Open source URL - [4]Launch Services Apple Developer
Apple. (n.d.). Launch Services. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
Open source URL - [5]ELC Running at startup
hoakley. (2018, May 22). Running at startup: when to use a Login Item or a LaunchAgent/LaunchDaemon. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
Open source URL - [6]Login Items AE
Apple. (n.d.). Login Items AE. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
Open source URL - [7]Startup Items Eclectic
hoakley. (2021, September 16). How to run an app or tool at startup. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
Open source URL - [8]hexed osx.dok analysis 2019
fluffybunny. (2019, July 9). OSX.Dok Analysis. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
Open source URL - [9]Add List Remove Login Items Apple Script
kaloprominat. (2013, July 30). macos: manage add list remove login items apple script. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
Open source URL - [10]objsee mac malware 2017
Patrick Wardle. (n.d.). Mac Malware of 2017. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
Open source URL - [11]CheckPoint Dok
Ofer Caspi. (2017, May 4). OSX Malware is Catching Up, and it wants to Read Your HTTPS Traffic. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
Open source URL - [12]objsee netwire backdoor 2019
Patrick Wardle. (2019, June 20). Burned by Fire(fox). Retrieved October 1, 2021.
Open source URL - [13]Launch Service Keys Developer Apple
Apple. (2018, June 4). Launch Services Keys. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
Open source URL - [14]mitre-attackT1547.015Open source URL
- [15]objsee block blocking login items
Patrick Wardle. (2018, July 23). Block Blocking Login Items. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
Open source URL - [16]sentinelone macos persist Jun 2019
Stokes, Phil. (2019, June 17). HOW MALWARE PERSISTS ON MACOS. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
Open source URL
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