Shell Invocation via Env Command - Linux

Detects the use of the env command to invoke a shell. This may indicate an attempt to bypass restricted environments, escalate privileges, or execute arbitrary commands.

title: Shell Invocation via Env Command - Linux
id: bed978f8-7f3a-432b-82c5-9286a9b3031a
status: test
description: |
    Detects the use of the env command to invoke a shell. This may indicate an attempt to bypass restricted environments, escalate privileges, or execute arbitrary commands.
references:
    - https://gtfobins.github.io/gtfobins/env/#shell
    - https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/security/current/linux-restricted-shell-breakout-via-linux-binary-s.html
author: Li Ling, Andy Parkidomo, Robert Rakowski, Blake Hartstein (Bloomberg L.P.)
date: 2024-09-02
modified: 2026-01-08
tags:
    - attack.execution
    - attack.t1059.004
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: linux
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '/env'
        CommandLine|contains:
            - '/bin/bash'
            - '/bin/dash'
            - '/bin/fish'
            - '/bin/sh'
            - '/bin/zsh'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Github operations such as ghe-backup
level: high

• T1059.004Unix Shell

• https://gtfobins.github.io/gtfobins/env/#shell↗
• https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/security/current/linux-restricted-shell-breakout-via-linux-binary-s.html↗