Ptrace System Calls

Ptrace system calls represent a powerful method for attackers to deepen control and evade defensive mechanisms in Linux-based environments. Operating during the Defense Evasion phase, attackers leverage the ptrace API (Process Trace) to attach to running processes, manipulate their execution flow, inspect and modify memory, intercept system calls, and alter register values. This capability allows sophisticated adversaries to bypass security controls by injecting malicious code into legitimate processes, hiding malicious activity under the context of trusted applications, disabling security monitoring mechanisms, and even altering the behavior of debugging tools that security analysts might deploy. Attackers can use ptrace to implement anti-debugging techniques, manipulate process memory to remove evidence of compromise, or inject shellcode that operates with the permissions of the target process, all while evading detection by presenting as legitimate activity within an already-running trusted process.