TA0002 · EXECUTION
AppleScript
Adversaries may abuse AppleScript for execution. AppleScript is a macOS scripting language designed to control applications and parts of the OS via inter-application messages called AppleEvents.
Detect it with
Monitor for execution of AppleScript through osascript and usage of the NSAppleScript and OSAScript APIs that may be related to other suspicious behavior occurring on the system.
Why it matters on shift
AppleScript is one of the concrete ways adversaries achieve execution. Recognising it in telemetry lets you name the technique in your ticket and pivot to what came before and after.
What to look for next
After execution, the next tactic is usually Persistence. Search your telemetry for the transition before closing the ticket.
Kill-chain context