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Persistence via Suspicious Launch Agent or Launch Daemon

Elastic Detection Rules

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Summary
The detection rule identifies the creation of launch agents or daemon property list files on macOS systems that contain abnormal or suspicious values. These files, located in the LaunchAgents and LaunchDaemons directories, are typically leveraged by attackers to maintain persistence by executing malicious code automatically at user login or system boot. The rule uses Elastic Query Language (EQL) to track plist file creations when associated with suspicious processes (e.g., scripts from temporary directories, unsigned binaries, or certain scripting interpreters). It highlights the importance of examining file paths and contents, the creating process's signature, and potential correlations with other malware components. It also considers the context of false positives stemming from legitimate software installers and development environments, advising thorough investigation and response protocols such as unloading and removing malicious plist files and associated executables.
Categories
  • Endpoint
  • macOS
Data Sources
  • File
ATT&CK Techniques
  • T1547
  • T1547.011
  • T1543
  • T1543.001
  • T1543.004
Created: 2026-01-30