| ID | Name |
|---|---|
| T1053.002 | At |
| T1053.003 | Cron |
| T1053.005 | Scheduled Task |
| T1053.006 | Systemd Timers |
| T1053.007 | Container Orchestration Job |
Adversaries may abuse task scheduling functionality provided by container orchestration tools such as Kubernetes to schedule deployment of containers configured to execute malicious code. Container orchestration jobs run these automated tasks at a specific date and time, similar to cron jobs on a Linux system. Deployments of this type can also be configured to maintain a quantity of containers over time, automating the process of maintaining persistence within a cluster.
In Kubernetes, a CronJob may be used to schedule a Job that runs one or more containers to perform specific tasks.[1][2] An adversary therefore may utilize a CronJob to schedule deployment of a Job that executes malicious code in various nodes within a cluster.[3]
| ID | Mitigation | Description |
|---|---|---|
| M1026 | Privileged Account Management |
Ensure containers are not running as root by default. In Kubernetes environments, consider defining Pod Security Standards that prevent pods from running privileged containers.[4] |
| M1018 | User Account Management |
Limit privileges of user accounts and remediate privilege escalation vectors so only authorized administrators can create container orchestration jobs. |
| ID | Name | Analytic ID | Analytic Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| DET0206 | Detection of Malicious Kubernetes CronJob Scheduling | AN0582 |
Detects abuse of container orchestration platforms (e.g., Kubernetes) where adversaries create CronJobs to maintain persistence or execute malicious Jobs across the cluster. |