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Detection Strategies DET0333 — Cross-Platform Detection of Scheduled Task/Job Abuse via `at` Utility
DET0333

Cross-Platform Detection of Scheduled Task/Job Abuse via `at` Utility

3 analytic(s) · 1 technique(s) detected

Analytics

3
AN0943 Analytic 0943
Windows

Detects creation of scheduled tasks via `at.exe` or WMI `Win32_ScheduledJob` class, followed by execution of anomalous processes by svchost.exe or taskeng.exe.

WinEventLog:Security EventCode=4698 WinEventLog:Sysmon EventCode=1
[TaskUser] Unusual users creating jobs (e.g., non-admin accounts or service users).
[ExecutionTimeWindow] Delay between task registration and execution.
[CommandLinePattern] Unexpected script or binary execution (e.g., cmd.exe /c PowerShell payload).
AN0944 Analytic 0944
Linux

Detects usage of `at` command to schedule jobs, followed by job execution and modification of job files under /var/spool/cron/atjobs.

auditd:SYSCALL execve auditd:SYSCALL write
[AtJobPath] Monitoring additional paths (e.g., tmp-mounted spool dirs) for modified at jobs.
[ScheduleLatency] Expected delay between at job creation and execution.
[JobScriptEntropy] High entropy or obfuscation in at job payloads.
AN0945 Analytic 0945
macOS

Detects user or root invocation of `at` command to schedule a job, followed by job execution using LaunchServices and activity in /usr/lib/cron/at.

macos:unifiedlog process: at, job runner fs:fsusage file access to /usr/lib/cron/at and job execution path macos:osquery process_events
[AtPermissions] Whether `at.allow` and `at.deny` are properly configured.
[ExecutionCommand] Target binary executed via the at job.
[RunUser] Detection of root user scheduling job with unusual command.

Detected Techniques

1

Execution (1)

Details

MITRE ID
DET0333
STIX ID
x-mitre-detection-strategy--ca20fecb-6b8e-49ae-9ecf-19f4edd812ad
Analytics
3
Techniques Detected
1
By Tactic
Execution
1
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