Hunting for Webshells in Web Servers

Instructions

1. Install dependencies: pip install yara-python
2. Identify web server document roots to scan (e.g., /var/www/html, /opt/lampp/htdocs).
3. Run the agent to scan for webshells:

• Shannon entropy analysis flags files with entropy > 5.5
• Pattern matching detects eval(), base64_decode(), system(), passthru(), shell_exec()
• File modification time analysis finds recently changed files
• Extension filtering targets .php, .jsp, .asp, .aspx, .cgi, .py files

python scripts/agent.py --webroot /var/www/html --output webshell_report.json

Examples

High-Entropy PHP Webshell Detection

File: /var/www/html/uploads/img_thumb.php
Entropy: 6.12 (threshold: 5.5)
Patterns matched: eval(), base64_decode(), str_rot13()
Last modified: 2025-12-01 03:42:00 (outside business hours)
Verdict: SUSPICIOUS - likely obfuscated webshell

Verification Criteria

Confirm successful execution by validating:

• [ ] All prerequisite tools and access requirements are satisfied
• [ ] Each workflow step completed without errors
• [ ] Output matches expected format and contains expected data
• [ ] No security warnings or misconfigurations detected
• [ ] Results are documented and evidence is preserved for audit

Compliance Framework Mapping

This skill supports compliance evidence collection across multiple frameworks:

• SOC 2: CC7.1 (Monitoring), CC7.2 (Anomaly Detection), CC7.3 (Incident Identification)
• ISO 27001: A.12.4 (Logging & Monitoring), A.16.1 (Security Incident Management)
• NIST 800-53: AU-6 (Audit Review), SI-4 (System Monitoring), IR-5 (Incident Monitoring)
• NIST CSF: DE.AE (Anomalies & Events), DE.CM (Continuous Monitoring)

Claw GRC Tip: When this skill is executed by a registered agent, compliance evidence is automatically captured and mapped to the relevant controls in your active frameworks.

Deploying This Skill with Claw GRC

Agent Execution

Register this skill with your Claw GRC agent for automated execution:

# Install via CLI
npx claw-grc skills add hunting-for-webshells-in-web-servers

# Or load dynamically via MCP
grc.load_skill("hunting-for-webshells-in-web-servers")

Audit Trail Integration

When executed through Claw GRC, every step of this skill generates tamper-evident audit records:

• SHA-256 chain hashing ensures no step can be modified after execution
• Evidence artifacts (configs, scan results, logs) are automatically attached to relevant controls
• Trust score impact — successful execution increases your agent's trust score

Continuous Compliance

Schedule this skill for recurring execution to maintain continuous compliance posture. Claw GRC monitors for drift and alerts when re-execution is needed.