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Linux Setuid Capability Set on a Binary via Setcap Utility

Sigma Rules

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Summary
This rule monitors for the usage of the 'setcap' utility to assign the 'setuid' capability (cap_setuid) to binary files on Linux systems. The 'setuid' capability allows a process, even if not running with root privileges, to manipulate user IDs (UIDs), enabling it to escalate privileges to a higher level, such as UID 0 (root). Attackers can exploit this functionality to backdoor binaries, allowing future privilege escalations. The rule inspects process creation logs, looking for instances where the 'setcap' command is executed with the 'cap_setuid' option. This action could signify an illegitimate attempt to alter a binary's UID capabilities, potentially indicating malicious intent. False positives may arise, as legitimate administrative activities could trigger this detection. Therefore, further investigation may be required to determine the intent behind each incidence of this command's usage.
Categories
  • Linux
  • Endpoint
Data Sources
  • Process
Created: 2026-01-24