Node.js Pre or Post-Install Script Execution

  1[metadata]
  2creation_date = "2025/09/18"
  3integration = ["endpoint"]
  4maturity = "production"
  5updated_date = "2025/09/18"
  6
  7[rule]
  8author = ["Elastic"]
  9description = """
 10This rule detects the execution of Node.js pre or post-install scripts. These scripts are executed
 11by the Node.js package manager (npm) during the installation of packages. Adversaries may abuse
 12this technique to execute arbitrary commands on the system and establish persistence. This activity
 13was observed in the wild as part of the Shai-Hulud worm.
 14"""
 15from = "now-9m"
 16index = ["logs-endpoint.events.process*"]
 17language = "eql"
 18license = "Elastic License v2"
 19name = "Node.js Pre or Post-Install Script Execution"
 20references = ["https://www.elastic.co/blog/shai-hulud-worm-npm-supply-chain-compromise"]
 21risk_score = 47
 22rule_id = "0871a5d8-6b5f-4a12-a568-fd7bc05bd8db"
 23setup = """## Setup
 24
 25This rule requires data coming in from Elastic Defend.
 26
 27### Elastic Defend Integration Setup
 28Elastic Defend is integrated into the Elastic Agent using Fleet. Upon configuration, the integration allows the Elastic Agent to monitor events on your host and send data to the Elastic Security app.
 29
 30#### Prerequisite Requirements:
 31- Fleet is required for Elastic Defend.
 32- To configure Fleet Server refer to the [documentation](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/fleet/current/fleet-server.html).
 33
 34#### The following steps should be executed in order to add the Elastic Defend integration on a Linux System:
 35- Go to the Kibana home page and click "Add integrations".
 36- In the query bar, search for "Elastic Defend" and select the integration to see more details about it.
 37- Click "Add Elastic Defend".
 38- Configure the integration name and optionally add a description.
 39- Select the type of environment you want to protect, either "Traditional Endpoints" or "Cloud Workloads".
 40- Select a configuration preset. Each preset comes with different default settings for Elastic Agent, you can further customize these later by configuring the Elastic Defend integration policy. [Helper guide](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/security/current/configure-endpoint-integration-policy.html).
 41- We suggest selecting "Complete EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response)" as a configuration setting, that provides "All events; all preventions"
 42- Enter a name for the agent policy in "New agent policy name". If other agent policies already exist, you can click the "Existing hosts" tab and select an existing policy instead.
 43For more details on Elastic Agent configuration settings, refer to the [helper guide](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/fleet/8.10/agent-policy.html).
 44- Click "Save and Continue".
 45- To complete the integration, select "Add Elastic Agent to your hosts" and continue to the next section to install the Elastic Agent on your hosts.
 46For more details on Elastic Defend refer to the [helper guide](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/security/current/install-endpoint.html).
 47"""
 48severity = "medium"
 49tags = [
 50    "Domain: Endpoint",
 51    "OS: Linux",
 52    "Use Case: Threat Detection",
 53    "Tactic: Persistence",
 54    "Tactic: Execution",
 55    "Tactic: Defense Evasion",
 56    "Data Source: Elastic Defend",
 57    "Resources: Investigation Guide",
 58]
 59type = "eql"
 60query = '''
 61sequence by host.id with maxspan=10s
 62  [process where host.os.type == "linux" and event.type == "start" and event.action == "exec" and process.name == "node" and process.args == "install"] by process.entity_id
 63  [process where host.os.type == "linux" and event.type == "start" and event.action == "exec" and process.parent.name == "node"] by process.parent.entity_id
 64'''
 65
 66[[rule.threat]]
 67framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
 68
 69[[rule.threat.technique]]
 70id = "T1543"
 71name = "Create or Modify System Process"
 72reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1543/"
 73
 74[[rule.threat.technique]]
 75id = "T1574"
 76name = "Hijack Execution Flow"
 77reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1574/"
 78
 79[rule.threat.tactic]
 80id = "TA0003"
 81name = "Persistence"
 82reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0003/"
 83
 84[[rule.threat]]
 85framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
 86
 87[[rule.threat.technique]]
 88id = "T1059"
 89name = "Command and Scripting Interpreter"
 90reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/"
 91
 92[[rule.threat.technique.subtechnique]]
 93id = "T1059.004"
 94name = "Unix Shell"
 95reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/004/"
 96
 97[rule.threat.tactic]
 98id = "TA0002"
 99name = "Execution"
100reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0002/"
101
102[[rule.threat]]
103framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
104
105[rule.threat.tactic]
106id = "TA0005"
107name = "Defense Evasion"
108reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/"