Identifier / Programs / Linux and Unix
asterisk
Run and manage telephone and exchange (phone) server instances. tldr-pages
GTFOBins shell 1 ATT&CK technique 1 documented command
How asterisk is abused
shell T1059.004 Command and Scripting Interpreter: Unix Shell
-rEach abuse is GTFOBins's category and the options and words it uses; the full write-up is on GTFOBins's page for asterisk.
1 documented command
shell unprivileged, with sudo, as SUID
A server instance must be already running, otherwise it can be started with sudo asterisk -F. Moreover, the invoking user must be able to access the socket.
asterisk -r
!/bin/shThe command the identifier reads trips no Sigma process-creation rule. This command is, with GTFOBins’ notes, from GTFOBins, at commit acd524623f9c of 2026-05-27, under the GPL-3.0, with no warranty. Changed: Markdown is shown formatted. The source is in lolbas-gtfobins-commands.json.gz, and the full entry is on GTFOBins’s page for asterisk. The identifier reads the line that runs asterisk.
What detects it
Everyday use
reconnect to a running server, and turn on logging 3 levels of verbosity
asterisk -r -vvvIdentifyMatches GTFOBins abuse: shell
reconnect to a running server, run a single command, and return
asterisk -r -x "command"IdentifyMatches GTFOBins abuse: shell
Of the 3 examples the identifier reads, 3 match GTFOBins abuse or trip a Sigma process-creation rule.