| Item |
Value |
| ID |
DET0151 |
| Version |
1.0 |
| Created |
21 October 2025 |
| Last Modified |
21 October 2025 |
Technique Detected: T1124 (System Time Discovery)
Analytics
Windows
AN0430
Untrusted or unusual process/script (cmd.exe, powershell.exe, w32tm.exe, net.exe, custom binaries) queries system time/timezone (e.g., w32tm /tz, net time \host, Get-TimeZone, GetTickCount API) and (optionally) is followed within a short window by time-based scheduling or conditional execution (e.g., schtasks /create, at.exe, PowerShell Start-Sleep with large values).
Log Sources
Mutable Elements
| Field |
Description |
| TimeWindow |
Correlation window (e.g., 5–15 minutes) between time discovery and follow-on scheduling/conditional actions. |
| AllowedParents |
Legitimate parent processes (e.g., corporate scripts, management agents) that frequently call time APIs. |
| CommandlineKeywordList |
Extend/restrict keyword list for time queries (e.g., custom PS functions, .NET calls). |
| UserContextScope |
Restrict to non-service, non-administrative, or newly created/rare users. |
| ProcessPrevalenceThreshold |
Frequency threshold to exclude common estate-wide benign usage. |
Linux
AN0431
A process (often spawned by a shell, interpreter, or malware implant) executes time discovery via commands (date, timedatectl, hwclock, cat /etc/timezone, /proc/uptime) or direct syscalls (time(), clock_gettime) and is (optionally) followed by scheduled task creation/modification (crontab, at) or conditional sleep logic.
Log Sources
Mutable Elements
| Field |
Description |
| AuditRulesSyscalls |
Scope of syscalls (time, clock_gettime, gettimeofday) monitored; may be performance-sensitive. |
| AllowedBinaries |
List of legitimate automation/orchestration tools frequently querying time. |
| TimeWindow |
Correlation window (e.g., 5–20 minutes) to link time discovery to follow-on cron/at changes. |
| UserContextScope |
Ignore root-owned maintenance agents if desired; focus on interactive or newly created users. |
macOS
AN0432
Process/script execution of systemsetup -gettimezone, date, ioreg, or API usage (timeIntervalSinceNow, gettimeofday) followed by time-based scheduling (launchd plist modification) or sleep-based execution.
Log Sources
| Data Component |
Name |
Channel |
| Process Creation (DC0032) |
macos:unifiedlog |
process exec events of systemsetup, date, ioreg with command_line parameters indicating time discovery |
| Scheduled Job Metadata (DC0005) |
macos:unifiedlog |
New/modified launchd plist (persistence/scheduling) within TimeWindow after time query |
Mutable Elements
| Field |
Description |
| LaunchdPaths |
Organization-specific list of allowed launchd write locations to filter benign agents. |
| TimeWindow |
Correlation window to link time discovery to launchd persistence/scheduling. |
| AllowedCallers |
Known management agents (e.g., JAMF) that legitimately call systemsetup/date. |
ESXi
AN0433
Interactive or remote shell/API invocation of esxcli system clock get or querying time parameters via hostd/vpxa shortly followed by time/ntp configuration checks or scheduled task creation, executed by non-standard accounts or outside maintenance windows.
Log Sources
Mutable Elements
| Field |
Description |
| MaintenanceWindow |
Only alert if outside approved ops windows. |
| PrivilegedAccountsAllowList |
Suppress alerts for known service accounts. |
| RemoteIPAllowList |
Whitelist management station IPs. |
| TimeWindow |
Correlation between esxcli time query and subsequent hostd/vpxa config calls. |
Network Devices
AN0434
Non-standard or rare users/locations issue CLI commands like “show clock detail” or “show timezone”; optionally followed by configuration of time/timezone or NTP sources. AAA/TACACS+ accounting and syslog correlate execution to identity, source IP, and privilege level.
Log Sources
| Data Component |
Name |
Channel |
| Command Execution (DC0064) |
networkdevice:syslog |
command-exec: CLI commands containing “show clock”, “show clock detail”, “show timezone” executed by suspicious user/source |
| File Modification (DC0061) |
networkdevice:config |
config-change: timezone or ntp server configuration change after a time query command |
Mutable Elements
| Field |
Description |
| AllowedAdminSubnets |
Only alert on access from outside the NOC/management subnets. |
| KnownMaintenanceUsers |
Whitelist known automation/orchestration accounts. |
| TimeWindow |
Correlation window between time query and config change. |