Detect Startup Items in IBM QRadar
Adversaries may use startup items automatically executed at boot initialization to establish persistence on macOS systems. Startup items execute during the final phase of the boot process and contain shell scripts or other executable files along with configuration information (StartupParameters.plist) used by the system to determine execution order. Although technically deprecated in favor of Launch Daemons, the /Library/StartupItems directory may still exist on systems. An adversary can create the appropriate folders and files in the StartupItems directory to register their own persistence mechanism that executes as root during system boot.
MITRE ATT&CK
- Tactic
- Persistence Privilege Escalation
- Sub-technique
- T1037.005 Startup Items
- Canonical reference
- https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1037/005/
QRadar Detection Query
SELECT
DATEFORMAT(devicetime, 'yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss') AS event_time,
sourceip,
username,
"filename" AS file_path,
"Command" AS process_cmd,
hostname,
QIDNAME(qid) AS event_name,
LOGSOURCETYPENAME(devicetype) AS log_source_type,
CATEGORYNAME(category) AS event_category
FROM events
WHERE (
LOWER("filename") LIKE '%/library/startupitems%'
OR LOWER("Command") LIKE '%/library/startupitems%'
OR LOWER("filename") LIKE '%startupparameters.plist%'
OR LOWER("Command") LIKE '%startupparameters.plist%'
)
AND LOGSOURCETYPENAME(devicetype) IN (
'Apple OS X Unified Log',
'Jamf Pro',
'Microsoft Defender ATP',
'Syslog'
)
AND devicetime > NOW() - 86400000
ORDER BY devicetime DESCAQL query targeting macOS log sources in QRadar for file path or command line references to /Library/StartupItems or StartupParameters.plist. Applies a LOGSOURCETYPENAME filter to focus on relevant macOS data sources and covers both file creation events and process execution indicators within a 24-hour window.
Data Sources
Required Tables
False Positives & Tuning
- Legacy enterprise software packages installed prior to the deprecation of StartupItems that remain in place and are referenced by management tools
- IT administrative scripts that audit or clean up /Library/StartupItems as part of macOS compliance or upgrade procedures
- Backup or disk imaging software (e.g., Carbon Copy Cloner, SuperDuper) that traverses /Library/StartupItems during full system backup operations
Other platforms for T1037.005
Testing Methodology
Validate this detection against 3 adversary techniques from Atomic Red Team. Each test below lists the behaviour to exercise and the telemetry you should expect to see. Executable commands and cleanup steps are available with Pro.
- Test 1Create Malicious Startup Item Directory and Plist
Expected signal: File creation events for /Library/StartupItems/AtomicTestItem/ (directory), /Library/StartupItems/AtomicTestItem/AtomicTestItem (shell script), and /Library/StartupItems/AtomicTestItem/StartupParameters.plist. Process creation events for mkdir, bash, chmod with command lines referencing /Library/StartupItems. macOS Unified Log entries for sudo usage. MDE DeviceFileEvents with FolderPath containing /Library/StartupItems and FileName=StartupParameters.plist.
- Test 2Deploy Startup Item with Network Callback Script
Expected signal: File creation events for /Library/StartupItems/UpdateHelper/ directory and contents. Process creation events for mkdir, bash, chmod with /Library/StartupItems path. The shell script content will contain 'curl' and a network callback URL visible in file content telemetry. Spotlight metadata (kMDItemWhereFroms) will be absent since file was created locally. MDE DeviceFileEvents entries for both the executable and StartupParameters.plist.
- Test 3Simulate Startup Item Execution via Shell
Expected signal: Process creation events: sudo, bash, and the AtomicExecTest script executing with root privileges. The FolderPath /Library/StartupItems/AtomicExecTest/ appears in both file creation and process execution events. The id and echo commands run as root (uid=0) are visible in child process telemetry. MDE DeviceProcessEvents entries show InitiatingProcessFileName=bash with FolderPath containing /Library/StartupItems.
References (8)
- https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1037/005/
- https://developer.apple.com/library/content/documentation/MacOSX/Conceptual/BPSystemStartup/Chapters/StartupItems.html
- https://www.virusbulletin.com/uploads/pdf/conference/vb2014/VB2014-Wardle.pdf
- https://objective-see.org/blog.html
- https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/master/atomics/T1037.005/T1037.005.md
- https://www.kaspersky.com/blog/adwind-rat/11430/
- https://support.apple.com/guide/deployment/startup-items-dep7b3ee4a0e/web
- https://www.jamf.com/blog/how-malware-persists-on-macos/
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