GenAI Agent Instruction File Written to Downloads
Detects creation or change of an AI coding-agent instruction file (agents.md or claude.md) in a user Downloads folder by a browser or an archive tool. A web page can save AGENTS.md or CLAUDE.md into Downloads without…
Description
Detects creation or change of an AI coding-agent instruction file (agents.md or claude.md) in a user Downloads folder by a browser or an archive tool. A web page can save AGENTS.md or CLAUDE.md into Downloads without a click, and opening an archive can extract the same files there. Codex and Claude Code treat those files as trusted project instructions, which can lead them to rewrite their own configuration, install a package, or leak a login token.
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.
Detection requirements
- Platform
- ContainersIaaSIdentity ProviderLinuxmacOSWindows
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the 2 ATT&CK techniques it maps to.
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 |
|---|---|
| forever.security/blog/hijacking-ai-agents-via-downloads-folder | Only this detection cites it |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- c6c790fe-2bfa-45fa-b3c5-6b702e66bbea
- Tagged by the source as
- Mitre Atlas: AML.T0051Mitre Atlas: AML.T0093Data Source: Elastic DefendDomain: EndpointDomain: GenAIOS: LinuxOS: macOSOS: WindowsPlatform: LinuxPlatform: macOSPlatform: WindowsResources: Investigation GuideRule Type: ES|QLTactic: ExecutionTactic: Initial AccessThreat: Unauthorized AI UsageUse Case: Threat Detection
Licence
- Published under
- Elastic License 2.0Read the licence
- Attribution
- Required
Authorship
- Written by
- Published
- Nov 1, 2026
- Version
- 1