Sigma rule: Potential Xterm Reverse Shell

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-c2c78591913e, updated 2023-04-24T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
Potential Xterm Reverse Shell
Status
test
Level
medium
Author
@d4ns4n_
Date
2023-04-24
File
rules/linux/process_creation/proc_creation_lnx_xterm_reverse_shell.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects usage of "xterm" as a potential reverse shell tunnel

Log source

product
linux
category
process_creation

Detection

selection:
    Image|contains: 'xterm'
    CommandLine|contains: '-display'
    CommandLine|endswith: ':1'
condition: selection

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Unknown

Tags

  • attack.execution
  • attack.t1059

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

References

Read on 2026-11-03T00:58:21.399Z under licence sigma-drl-1.1@d5f4c36a from https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/linux/process_creation/proc_creation_lnx_xterm_reverse_shell.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Potential Xterm Reverse Shell" by @d4ns4n_ (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/linux/process_creation/proc_creation_lnx_xterm_reverse_shell.yml.
    Licensed under the Detection Rule License (DRL) 1.1: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/Detection-Rule-License

    Detection Rule License (DRL) 1.1

Cite this page

Dragons Eye Ransomware Tracker, "Sigma rule: Potential Xterm Reverse Shell",
entity page, dataset version ref-c2c78591913e, updated 2023-04-24T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/4e25af4b-246d-44ea-8563-e42aacab006b (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule 4e25af4b-246d-44ea-8563-e42aacab006b, commit ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84.

Pages change. The dataset version identifies the data, but no archive of old versions is kept, so this citation cannot be replayed later.