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Execution via GitHub Actions Runner

This rule detects potentially dangerous commands spawned by the GitHub Actions Runner.Worker process or by shell interpreters launched via a runner entrypoint script on self-hosted runner machines. Adversaries who…

Description

This rule detects potentially dangerous commands spawned by the GitHub Actions Runner.Worker process or by shell interpreters launched via a runner entrypoint script on self-hosted runner machines. Adversaries who gain the ability to modify or trigger workflows in a linked GitHub repository can execute arbitrary commands on the runner host. This behavior may indicate malicious or unexpected workflow activity, including code execution, reconnaissance, credential harvesting, or network exfiltration initiated through a compromised repository or unauthorized workflow.

Detection logic

Its licence does not clear it for publishing here

Sunturai publishes a detection's own text where the licence it arrived under has been reviewed and permits it, and Elastic License 2.0 has not. The query as its source wrote it, its canonical form and the hash that pins this revision are in the workspace record.

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Detection requirements

Platform
ContainersESXiIaaSIdentity ProviderLinuxmacOSNetwork DevicesOffice SuiteSaaSWindows

The rule states no platform. This is derived from the 3 ATT&CK techniques it maps to.

Log source category
event_index

Known benign triggers

  • Authorized GitHub actions runner with no malicious workflow actions.

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