---
title: Potential Persistence via Login Hook
description: Identifies the creation or modification of the login window property list (plist). Adversaries may modify plist files to run a program during system boot...
url: https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/security/prebuilt-rules/rules/macos/persistence_loginwindow_plist_modification
products:
  - Elastic Security
---

# Potential Persistence via Login Hook
Identifies the creation or modification of the login window property list (plist). Adversaries may modify plist files to
run a program during system boot or user login for persistence.
**Rule type**: query
**Rule indices**:
- logs-endpoint.events.*

**Rule Severity**: medium
**Risk Score**: 47
**Runs every**: 
**Searches indices from**: `now-9m`
**Maximum alerts per execution**: 100
**References**:
- [[https://github.com/D00MFist/PersistentJXA/blob/master/LoginScript.js](https://github.com/D00MFist/PersistentJXA/blob/master/LoginScript.js)](https://github.com/D00MFist/PersistentJXA/blob/master/LoginScript.js)

**Tags**:
- Domain: Endpoint
- OS: macOS
- Use Case: Threat Detection
- Tactic: Persistence
- Data Source: Elastic Defend
- Resources: Investigation Guide
- Noise: High
- Performance: Normal
- Profile: Aggressive
- Rule Type: Custom Query (KQL)
- Platform: macOS

**Version**: 113
**Rule authors**:
- Elastic

**Rule license**: Elastic License v2

## Setup

This rule requires data coming in from Elastic Defend.

### Elastic Defend Integration Setup

Elastic Defend is integrated into the Elastic Agent using Fleet. Upon configuration, the integration allows the Elastic Agent to monitor events on your host and send data to the Elastic Security app.

#### Prerequisite Requirements:

- Fleet is required for Elastic Defend.
- To configure Fleet Server refer to the [documentation](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/fleet/current/fleet-server.html).


#### The following steps should be executed in order to add the Elastic Defend integration on a macOS System:

- Go to the Kibana home page and click "Add integrations".
- In the query bar, search for "Elastic Defend" and select the integration to see more details about it.
- Click "Add Elastic Defend".
- Configure the integration name and optionally add a description.
- Select the type of environment you want to protect, for MacOS it is recommended to select "Traditional Endpoints".
- Select a configuration preset. Each preset comes with different default settings for Elastic Agent, you can further customize these later by configuring the Elastic Defend integration policy. [Helper guide](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/security/current/configure-endpoint-integration-policy.html).
- We suggest selecting "Complete EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response)" as a configuration setting, that provides "All events; all preventions"
- Enter a name for the agent policy in "New agent policy name". If other agent policies already exist, you can click the "Existing hosts" tab and select an existing policy instead.
  For more details on Elastic Agent configuration settings, refer to the [helper guide](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/fleet/current/agent-policy.html).
- Click "Save and Continue".
- To complete the integration, select "Add Elastic Agent to your hosts" and continue to the next section to install the Elastic Agent on your hosts.
  For more details on Elastic Defend refer to the [helper guide](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/security/current/install-endpoint.html).


## Investigation guide


## Triage and analysis

Starting in Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion), users can specify certain applications to be re-opened when a user reboots their machine. This can be abused to establish or maintain persistence on a compromised system.

## Rule Query

```kuery
event.category:file and host.os.type:macos and not event.type:"deletion" and
 file.name:"com.apple.loginwindow.plist" and
 not process.name: (systemmigrationd or DesktopServicesHelper or diskmanagementd or rsync or launchd or cfprefsd or xpcproxy or ManagedClient or MCXCompositor or backupd or "iMazing Profile Editor" or storagekitd or CloneKitService)
```

**Framework:** MITRE ATT&CK
- Tactic:
  - Name: Persistence
  - Id: TA0003
  - Reference URL: [[https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0003/](https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0003/)](https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0003/)
- Technique:
  - Name: Boot or Logon Initialization Scripts
  - Id: T1037
  - Reference URL: [[https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1037/](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1037/)](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1037/)
- Sub Technique:
  - Name: Login Hook
  - Id: T1037.002
  - Reference URL: [[https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1037/002/](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1037/002/)](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1037/002/)
- Technique:
  - Name: Boot or Logon Autostart Execution
  - Id: T1547
  - Reference URL: [[https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1547/](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1547/)](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1547/)

**Framework:** MITRE ATT&CK
- Tactic:
  - Name: Defense Evasion
  - Id: TA0005
  - Reference URL: [[https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/](https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/)](https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/)
- Technique:
  - Name: Plist File Modification
  - Id: T1647
  - Reference URL: [[https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1647/](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1647/)](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1647/)