User Added To Admin Group Via Dscl

calendar Oct 23, 2025 · attack.persistence attack.defense-evasion attack.initial-access attack.privilege-escalation attack.t1078.003  ·
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Detects attempts to create and add an account to the admin group via "dscl"

Sigma rule (View on GitHub)

 1title: User Added To Admin Group Via Dscl
 2id: b743623c-2776-40e0-87b1-682b975d0ca5
 3related:
 4    - id: 0c1ffcf9-efa9-436e-ab68-23a9496ebf5b
 5      type: obsolete
 6status: test
 7description: Detects attempts to create and add an account to the admin group via "dscl"
 8references:
 9    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/master/atomics/T1078.003/T1078.003.md#atomic-test-2---create-local-account-with-admin-privileges---macos
10    - https://ss64.com/osx/dscl.html
11author: Sohan G (D4rkCiph3r)
12date: 2023-03-19
13tags:
14    - attack.persistence
15    - attack.defense-evasion
16    - attack.initial-access
17    - attack.privilege-escalation
18    - attack.t1078.003
19logsource:
20    category: process_creation
21    product: macos
22detection:
23    selection: # adds to admin group
24        Image|endswith: '/dscl'
25        CommandLine|contains|all:
26            - ' -append '
27            - ' /Groups/admin '
28            - ' GroupMembership '
29    condition: selection
30falsepositives:
31    - Legitimate administration activities
32level: medium

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