---
title: Socat Process Activity
description: A Socat process is running on a Linux host. Socat is often used as a persistence mechanism by exporting a reverse shell, or by serving a shell on a listening...
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3167/reference/security/prebuilt-rules/rules/_deprecated/linux_socat_activity
products:
  - Elastic Security
---

# Socat Process Activity
<warning>
  This rule has been deprecated as of 2021/04/15.
</warning>

A Socat process is running on a Linux host. Socat is often used as a persistence mechanism by exporting a reverse shell,
or by serving a shell on a listening port. Socat is also sometimes used for lateral movement.
**Rule type**: query
**Rule indices**:
- auditbeat-*
- logs-endpoint.events.*

**Rule Severity**: medium
**Risk Score**: 47
**Runs every**: 
**Searches indices from**: `now-9m`
**Maximum alerts per execution**: 100
**References**:
- [[https://blog.ropnop.com/upgrading-simple-shells-to-fully-interactive-ttys/#method-2-using-socat](https://blog.ropnop.com/upgrading-simple-shells-to-fully-interactive-ttys/#method-2-using-socat)](https://blog.ropnop.com/upgrading-simple-shells-to-fully-interactive-ttys/#method-2-using-socat)

**Tags**:
- Elastic
- Host
- Linux
- Threat Detection

**Version**: 100
**Rule authors**:
- Elastic

**Rule license**: Elastic License v2

## Rule Query

```kuery
event.category:process and event.type:(start or process_started) and process.name:socat and not process.args:-V
```