Sigma rule: Audit Rules Deleted Via Auditctl

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-15f6317dbfc8, updated 2025-10-17T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
Audit Rules Deleted Via Auditctl
Status
experimental
Level
high
Author
Mohamed LAKRI
Date
2025-10-17
File
rules/linux/process_creation/proc_creation_lnx_auditctl_clear_rules.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects the execution of 'auditctl' with the '-D' command line parameter, which deletes all configured audit rules and watches on Linux systems.
This technique is commonly used by attackers to disable audit logging and cover their tracks by removing monitoring capabilities.
Removal of audit rules can significantly impair detection of malicious activities on the affected system.

Log source

product
linux
category
process_creation

Detection

selection:
    Image|endswith: '/auditctl'
    CommandLine|re: '-D'
condition: selection

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • An administrator troubleshooting. Investigate all attempts.

Tags

  • attack.defense-impairment
  • attack.t1685.004

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_auditctl_clear_rules.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Audit Rules Deleted Via Auditctl" by Mohamed LAKRI (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/linux/process_creation/proc_creation_lnx_auditctl_clear_rules.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: Audit Rules Deleted Via Auditctl",
entity page, dataset version ref-15f6317dbfc8, updated 2025-10-17T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/bed26dea-4525-47f4-b24a-76e30e44ffb0 (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule bed26dea-4525-47f4-b24a-76e30e44ffb0, 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.