T1569.001 - System Services: Launchctl

Description from ATT&CK

Adversaries may abuse launchctl to execute commands or programs. Launchctl interfaces with launchd, the service management framework for macOS. Launchctl supports taking subcommands on the command-line, interactively, or even redirected from standard input.(Citation: Launchctl Man) Adversaries use launchctl to execute commands and programs as [Launch Agent](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1543/001)s or [Launch Daemon](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1543/004)s. Common subcommands include: launchctl load,launchctl unload, and launchctl start. Adversaries can use scripts or manually run the commands launchctl load -w "%s/Library/LaunchAgents/%s" or /bin/launchctl load to execute [Launch Agent](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1543/001)s or [Launch Daemon](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1543/004)s.(Citation: Sofacy Komplex Trojan)(Citation: 20 macOS Common Tools and Techniques)

Atomic Tests

• Atomic Test #1 - Launchctl

Atomic Test #1 - Launchctl

Utilize launchctl

Supported Platforms: macOS

auto_generated_guid: 6fb61988-724e-4755-a595-07743749d4e2

Inputs:

| Name | Description | Type | Default Value | |——|————-|——|—————| | executable_path | Path of the executable to run. | path | /System/Applications/Calculator.app/Contents/MacOS/Calculator| | label_name | Unique label to assign this job to launchd. | string | evil|

Attack Commands: Run with

1

bash

!

1
launchctl submit -l #{label_name} -- #{executable_path}

Cleanup Commands:

1
launchctl remove #{label_name}