Linux Suspicious Staging of Alternate System Files
The following analytic detects the creation of sensitive system files such as nsswitch.conf, passwd, shadow, sudoers, and NSS shared libraries outside of their canonical /etc or /var/lib/docker paths. This technique…
Description
The following analytic detects the creation of sensitive system files such as nsswitch.conf, passwd, shadow, sudoers, and NSS shared libraries outside of their canonical /etc or /var/lib/docker paths. This technique is associated with CVE-2025-32463 (chwoot), where an attacker stages a fake root directory containing spoofed system configuration files and NSS libraries to manipulate how privileged processes such as sudo resolve name services, enabling local privilege escalation by hijacking library loading without modifying the real /etc directory.
Detection logic
Detection requirements
- Platform
- ContainersESXiLinuxmacOSWindows
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the ATT&CK technique it maps to.
- Log source category
- sysmon_for_linux_eventid_11
Known benign triggers
- Developers or system administrators may stage alternate system files for legitimate testing or containerized environments. Filter based on known development or testing systems.
MITRE ATT&CK mappings
0 exclusive techniques.This is coverage no other published rule has; it is not this rule's total technique count.
References
| Reference | Cited by |
|---|---|
| github.com/pr0v3rbs/CVE-2025-32463_chwoot | 2 |
| www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/cisa-warns-of-critical-linux-sudo-flaw-exploited-in-attacks/ | 2 |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- 250fd1b5-e62a-4515-baff-3010b52b4c12
- Tagged by the source as
- Linux Persistence TechniquesLinux Post-ExploitationLinux Privilege EscalationEndpointendpointSplunk CloudSplunk EnterpriseSplunk Enterprise Securityendpoint
Licence
- Published under
- Apache License 2.0Read the licence
- Attribution
- Required
- Obtained under
- Apache-2.0Read the origin licence
Authorship
- Written by
- Published
- Aug 26, 2026
- Version
- 1