Suspicious HTML File Creationedit

Identifies the execution of a browser process to open an HTML file with high entropy and size. Adversaries may smuggle data and files past content filters by hiding malicious payloads inside of seemingly benign HTML files.

Rule type: eql

Rule indices:

  • logs-endpoint.events.*

Severity: medium

Risk score: 47

Runs every: 5m

Searches indices from: now-9m (Date Math format, see also Additional look-back time)

Maximum alerts per execution: 100

References: None

Tags:

  • Elastic
  • Host
  • Windows
  • Threat Detection
  • Initial Access

Version: 101

Rule authors:

  • Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License v2

Investigation guideedit


Rule queryedit

sequence by user.id with maxspan=5m
 [file where event.action in ("creation", "rename") and
  file.extension : ("htm", "html") and
   file.path : ("?:\\Users\\*\\Downloads\\*",
                "?:\\Users\\*\\Content.Outlook\\*",
                "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\Temp?_*",
                "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\7z*",
                "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\Rar$*") and
   ((file.Ext.entropy >= 5 and file.size >= 150000) or file.size >= 1000000)]
 [process where event.action == "start" and
  (
   (process.name in ("chrome.exe", "msedge.exe", "brave.exe", "whale.exe", "browser.exe", "dragon.exe", "vivaldi.exe", "opera.exe")
    and process.args == "--single-argument") or
   (process.name == "iexplore.exe" and process.args_count == 2) or
   (process.name in ("firefox.exe", "waterfox.exe") and process.args == "-url")
  )
  and process.args : ("?:\\Users\\*\\Downloads\\*.htm*",
                      "?:\\Users\\*\\Content.Outlook\\*.htm*",
                      "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\Temp?_*.htm*",
                      "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\7z*.htm*",
                      "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\Rar$*.htm*")]

Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM