Techniques › T1059.004 › AN1083
AN1083 Analytic 1083
ESXi · attack.mitre.org · ATT&CK Enterprise v19.2
<p>Detects BusyBox or Ash shell execution from unauthorized logins or remote connections. Focus is on rare shell invocations from DCUI, SSH sessions, or remote management paths. Also watches for payload droppers or persistence artifacts using shell.</p>
- Detects
- T1059.004 Unix Shell
- Part of
- DET0384 Behavioral Detection of Unix Shell Execution
Log sources and channels
Exactly as MITRE states them in x_mitre_log_source_references. Where a channel is vague, it is vague in the source; kevmap does not tidy it.
| Log source | Channel | Data component |
|---|---|---|
| esxi:vmkernel | DCUI shell start, BusyBox activity | DC0064 Command Execution |
| esxi:auth | Shell login or escalation | DC0067 Logon Session Creation |
Mutable elements
Parameters MITRE marks as environment-specific. These are the knobs you are expected to tune; they are why an analytic is not a rule.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
UserContext | Non-root use of shell (or root outside maintenance window). |
CommandPattern | Use of ‘nc’, ‘wget’, or dropper-like behavior in shell. |
ShellPath | Unexpected invocation of BusyBox/ash from mounted ISO or datastore. |
KEV CVEs whose mapped technique this analytic detects
| CVE | Vendor / product | State |
|---|---|---|
| CVE-2014-6271 | GNU Bourne-Again Shell (Bash) | Mapped |
| CVE-2014-7169 | GNU Bourne-Again Shell (Bash) | Mapped |
| CVE-2016-10033 | PHP PHPMailer | Mapped |
| CVE-2019-0708 | Microsoft Remote Desktop Services | Mapped |
| CVE-2021-36380 | Sunhillo SureLine | Mapped |
| CVE-2022-20699 | Cisco Small Business RV160, RV260, RV340, and RV345 Series Routers | Mapped |
| CVE-2022-20700 | Cisco Small Business RV160, RV260, RV340, and RV345 Series Routers | Mapped |
| CVE-2023-38831 | RARLAB WinRAR | Mapped |
| CVE-2023-39780 | ASUS RT-AX55 Routers | Mapped |
| CVE-2023-44221 | SonicWall SMA100 Appliances | Mapped |
| CVE-2023-46604 | Apache ActiveMQ | Mapped |
| CVE-2024-24919 | Check Point Quantum Security Gateways | Mapped |
| CVE-2024-27443 | Synacor Zimbra Collaboration Suite (ZCS) | Mapped |
| CVE-2025-25257 | Fortinet FortiWeb | Mapped |