Detect Suspicious or Malicious Code Signing Abuse

Technique Detected:  Code Signing | T1553.002

ID: DET0230
Domains: Enterprise
Analytics: AN0643, AN0644
Version: 1.0
Created: 21 October 2025
Last Modified: 21 October 2025

Analytics

AN0643

Detects execution of binaries signed with unusual or recently issued certificates, correlation of process execution with abnormal publisher metadata, and mismatched certificate chains. Monitors for revoked or unknown code signing certificates used in high-privilege contexts.

Log Sources
Data Component Name Channel
Process Creation (DC0032) WinEventLog:Security EventCode=4688
Module Load (DC0016) WinEventLog:Sysmon EventCode=7
Mutable Elements
Field Description
AllowedCertificateAuthorities Define trusted issuers to suppress noise from legitimate enterprise signing chains
TimeWindow Correlation window for detecting execution of binaries with newly observed or anomalous certificates
CertificateAgeThreshold Baseline normal age of certificates; flag very recent or expired certificates

AN0644

Monitors Gatekeeper, spctl, and unified log entries for binaries executed with unexpected or untrusted signatures. Correlates file metadata changes with process launches where signature validation is skipped, altered, or fails but the process still executes.

Log Sources
Data Component Name Channel
File Metadata (DC0059) macos:unifiedlog Code signing verification failures or bypassed trust decisions
Process Creation (DC0032) macos:unifiedlog Execution of binaries with unsigned or anomalously signed certificates
Mutable Elements
Field Description
DeveloperIDAllowList Maintain list of expected Developer IDs to minimize false positives from enterprise apps
TimeWindow Correlates file signature changes with subsequent executions