Execution: Malicious Python executed

This document describes a threat finding type in Security Command Center. Threat findings are generated by threat detectors when they detect a potential threat in your cloud resources. For a full list of available threat findings, see Threat findings index.

Overview

A machine learning model identified executed Python code as malicious. Attackers can use Python to transfer tools and execute commands without binaries. Keeping your containers immutable is an important practice. Using scripts to transfer tools mimics the attacker technique of ingress tool transfer and can result in unwanted detections.

Detection service

Cloud Run Threat Detection

How to respond

To respond to this finding, do the following:

Review finding details

  1. Open the Execution: Malicious Python executed finding as directed in Reviewing findings. Review the details on the Summary and JSON tabs.

  2. On the Summary tab, review the information in the following sections:

    • What was detected, especially the following fields:
      • Program binary: details about the interpreter that invoked the script
      • Script: absolute path of the name of the script on disk; this attribute only appears for scripts written to disk, not for literal script execution—for example, python3 -c
      • Arguments: the arguments provided when invoking the script
    • Affected resource, especially the following fields:
    • Related links, especially the following fields:
      • VirusTotal indicator: link to the VirusTotal analysis page

  3. On the JSON tab, note the following fields:

    • finding:
      • processes:
      • script:
        • contents: contents of the executed script, which might be truncated for performance reasons; this can aid in your investigation
        • sha256: the SHA-256 hash of script.contents
    • resource:
      • project_display_name: the name of the project that contains the asset.

  4. Look for related findings that occurred at a similar time for the affected container. For example, if the script drops a binary, check for findings related to the binary. Such findings might indicate that this activity was malicious, instead of a failure to follow best practices.

  5. Review the settings of the affected container.

  6. Check the logs for the affected container.

Research attack and response methods

  1. Review the MITRE ATT&CK framework entries for this finding type: Command and Scripting Interpreter and Ingress Tool Transfer.
  2. Check the SHA-256 hash value for the binary flagged as malicious on VirusTotal by clicking the link in VirusTotal indicator. VirusTotal is an Alphabet-owned service that provides context on potentially malicious files, URLs, domains, and IP addresses.
  3. To develop a response plan, combine your investigation results with the MITRE research and VirusTotal analysis.

Implement your response

For response recommendations, see Respond to Cloud Run threat findings.

What's next