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Linux Auditd Auditd Daemon Shutdown

The following analytic detects the unexpected termination of the Linux Audit daemon (auditd) by monitoring for log entries of type DAEMON_END. This event signifies that the audit logging service has stopped, either…

Description

The following analytic detects the unexpected termination of the Linux Audit daemon (auditd) by monitoring for log entries of type DAEMON_END. This event signifies that the audit logging service has stopped, either due to a legitimate system shutdown, manual administrative action, or potentially malicious tampering. Since auditd is responsible for recording critical security events, its sudden stoppage may indicate an attempt to disable security monitoring or evade detection during an attack. This detection should be correlated with system logs to determine whether the shutdown was part of routine maintenance or an anomaly. If confirmed as malicious, this could lead to a compromised system where security events are no longer being logged, allowing attackers to operate undetected. Therefore, monitoring and alerting on auditd shutdown events is crucial for maintaining the integrity of system security monitoring.

Detection logic

Detection requirements

Platform
Linux

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

Log source category
linux_auditd_daemon_end

Known benign triggers

  • Administrator or network operator can use this application for automation purposes. Please update the filter macros to remove false positives.

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