Process Execution from an Unusual Directoryedit
Identifies process execution from suspicious default Windows directories. This is sometimes done by adversaries to hide malware in trusted paths.
Rule type: eql
Rule indices:
- winlogbeat-*
- logs-endpoint.events.*
- logs-windows.*
- endgame-*
Severity: medium
Risk score: 47
Runs every: 5 minutes
Searches indices from: now-9m (Date Math format, see also Additional look-back time
)
Maximum alerts per execution: 100
Tags:
- Elastic
- Host
- Windows
- Threat Detection
- Defense Evasion
- Elastic Endgame
Version: 102 (version history)
Added (Elastic Stack release): 7.11.0
Last modified (Elastic Stack release): 8.6.0
Rule authors: Elastic
Rule license: Elastic License v2
Investigation guideedit
Rule queryedit
process where event.type == "start" and /* add suspicious execution paths here */ process.executable : ("C:\\PerfLogs\\*.exe","C:\\Users\\ Public\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Tasks\\*.exe","C:\\Intel\\*.exe","C:\\AMD \\Temp\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\AppReadiness\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Servi ceState\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\security\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\IdentityC RL\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Branding\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\csc\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\DigitalLocker\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\en-US\\*.exe","C:\\W indows\\wlansvc\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Prefetch\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\F onts\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\diagnostics\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\TAPI\\* .exe","C:\\Windows\\INF\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\System32\\Speech\\*.exe" ,"C:\\windows\\tracing\\*.exe", "c:\\windows\\IME\\*.exe","c:\\Window s\\Performance\\*.exe","c:\\windows\\intel\\*.exe","c:\\windows\\ms\\* .exe","C:\\Windows\\dot3svc\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\panther\\*.exe","C :\\Windows\\RemotePackages\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\OCR\\*.exe","C:\\Wind ows\\appcompat\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\apppatch\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\ad dins\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Setup\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Help\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\SKB\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Vss\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Web\ \*.exe","C:\\Windows\\servicing\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\CbsTemp\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Logs\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\WaaS\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Sh ellExperiences\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\ShellComponents\\*.exe","C:\\Wind ows\\PLA\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Migration\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\debug \\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Cursors\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Containers\\*.exe ","C:\\Windows\\Boot\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\bcastdvr\\*.exe", "C:\\Win dows\\assembly\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\TextInput\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\s ecurity\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\schemas\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\SchCache\\ *.exe","C:\\Windows\\Resources\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\rescache\\*.exe ","C:\\Windows\\Provisioning\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\PrintDialog\\*.exe" ,"C:\\Windows\\PolicyDefinitions\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\media\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Globalization\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\L2Schemas\\*.exe","C :\\Windows\\LiveKernelReports\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\ModemLogs\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\ImmersiveControlPanel\\*.exe") and not process.name : ( "SpeechUXWiz.exe","SystemSettings.exe","TrustedInstaller.exe","PrintDi alog.exe","MpSigStub.exe","LMS.exe","mpam-*.exe") and not process.executable : ("?:\\Intel\\Wireless\\WUSetupLauncher.exe", "?:\\Intel\\Wireless\\Setup.exe", "?:\\Intel\\Move Mouse.exe", "?:\\windows\\Panther\\DiagTrackRunner.exe", "?:\\Windows\\servicing\\GC64\\tzupd.exe", "?:\\Users\\Public\\res\\RemoteLite.exe", "?:\\Users\\Public\\IBM\\ClientSolutions\\*.exe", "?:\\Users\\Public\\Documents\\syspin.exe", "?:\\Users\\Public\\res\\FileWatcher.exe") /* uncomment once in winlogbeat */ /* and not (process.code_signature.subject_name == "Microsoft Corporation" and process.code_signature.trusted == true) */
Threat mappingedit
Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM
-
Tactic:
- Name: Defense Evasion
- ID: TA0005
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/
-
Technique:
- Name: Masquerading
- ID: T1036
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1036/
Rule version historyedit
- Version 102 (8.6.0 release)
-
- Formatting only
- Version 101 (8.5.0 release)
-
-
Updated query, changed from:
process where event.type in ("start", "process_started", "info") and /* add suspicious execution paths here */ process.executable : ("C:\\P erfLogs\\*.exe","C:\\Users\\Public\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Tasks\\*.exe" ,"C:\\Intel\\*.exe","C:\\AMD\\Temp\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\AppReadiness\ \*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\ServiceState\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\security\\*. exe","C:\\Windows\\IdentityCRL\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Branding\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\csc\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\DigitalLocker\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\en-US\\*.exe","C:\\W indows\\wlansvc\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Prefetch\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\F onts\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\diagnostics\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\TAPI\\* .exe","C:\\Windows\\INF\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\System32\\Speech\\*.exe" ,"C:\\windows\\tracing\\*.exe", "c:\\windows\\IME\\*.exe","c:\\Window s\\Performance\\*.exe","c:\\windows\\intel\\*.exe","c:\\windows\\ms\\* .exe","C:\\Windows\\dot3svc\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\panther\\*.exe","C :\\Windows\\RemotePackages\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\OCR\\*.exe","C:\\Wind ows\\appcompat\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\apppatch\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\ad dins\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Setup\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Help\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\SKB\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Vss\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Web\ \*.exe","C:\\Windows\\servicing\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\CbsTemp\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Logs\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\WaaS\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Sh ellExperiences\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\ShellComponents\\*.exe","C:\\Wind ows\\PLA\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Migration\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\debug \\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Cursors\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Containers\\*.exe ","C:\\Windows\\Boot\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\bcastdvr\\*.exe", "C:\\Win dows\\assembly\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\TextInput\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\s ecurity\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\schemas\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\SchCache\\ *.exe","C:\\Windows\\Resources\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\rescache\\*.exe ","C:\\Windows\\Provisioning\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\PrintDialog\\*.exe" ,"C:\\Windows\\PolicyDefinitions\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\media\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Globalization\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\L2Schemas\\*.exe","C :\\Windows\\LiveKernelReports\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\ModemLogs\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\ImmersiveControlPanel\\*.exe") and not process.name : ( "SpeechUXWiz.exe","SystemSettings.exe","TrustedInstaller.exe","PrintDi alog.exe","MpSigStub.exe","LMS.exe","mpam-*.exe") and not process.executable : ("?:\\Intel\\Wireless\\WUSetupLauncher.exe", "?:\\Intel\\Wireless\\Setup.exe", "?:\\Intel\\Move Mouse.exe", "?:\\windows\\Panther\\DiagTrackRunner.exe", "?:\\Windows\\servicing\\GC64\\tzupd.exe", "?:\\Users\\Public\\res\\RemoteLite.exe", "?:\\Users\\Public\\IBM\\ClientSolutions\\*.exe", "?:\\Users\\Public\\Documents\\syspin.exe", "?:\\Users\\Public\\res\\FileWatcher.exe") /* uncomment once in winlogbeat */ /* and not (process.code_signature.subject_name == "Microsoft Corporation" and process.code_signature.trusted == true) */
-
- Version 6 (8.4.0 release)
-
-
Updated query, changed from:
process where event.type in ("start", "process_started", "info") and /* add suspicious execution paths here */ process.executable : ("C:\\P erfLogs\\*.exe","C:\\Users\\Public\\*.exe","C:\\Users\\Default\\*.exe" ,"C:\\Windows\\Tasks\\*.exe","C:\\Intel\\*.exe","C:\\AMD\\Temp\\*.exe" ,"C:\\Windows\\AppReadiness\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\ServiceState\\*.exe ","C:\\Windows\\security\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\IdentityCRL\\*.exe","C: \\Windows\\Branding\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\csc\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\DigitalLocker\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\en-US\\*.exe","C:\\W indows\\wlansvc\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Prefetch\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\F onts\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\diagnostics\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\TAPI\\* .exe","C:\\Windows\\INF\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\System32\\Speech\\*.exe" ,"C:\\windows\\tracing\\*.exe", "c:\\windows\\IME\\*.exe","c:\\Window s\\Performance\\*.exe","c:\\windows\\intel\\*.exe","c:\\windows\\ms\\* .exe","C:\\Windows\\dot3svc\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\ServiceProfiles\\*.e xe", "C:\\Windows\\panther\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\RemotePackages\\*.ex e","C:\\Windows\\OCR\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\appcompat\\*.exe","C:\\Wind ows\\apppatch\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\addins\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Set up\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Help\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\SKB\\*.exe","C:\\W indows\\Vss\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Web\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\servicing\ \*.exe","C:\\Windows\\CbsTemp\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Logs\\*.exe","C: \\Windows\\WaaS\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\twain_32\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\S hellExperiences\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\ShellComponents\\*.exe","C:\\Win dows\\PLA\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Migration\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\debu g\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Cursors\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Containers\\*.ex e","C:\\Windows\\Boot\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\bcastdvr\\*.exe", "C:\\Wi ndows\\assembly\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\TextInput\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\ security\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\schemas\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\SchCache\ \*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Resources\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\rescache\\*.ex e","C:\\Windows\\Provisioning\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\PrintDialog\\*.exe ","C:\\Windows\\PolicyDefinitions\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\media\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Globalization\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\L2Schemas\\*.exe","C :\\Windows\\LiveKernelReports\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\ModemLogs\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\ImmersiveControlPanel\\*.exe") and not process.name : ( "SpeechUXWiz.exe","SystemSettings.exe","TrustedInstaller.exe","PrintDi alog.exe","MpSigStub.exe","LMS.exe","mpam-*.exe") /* uncomment once in winlogbeat */ /* and not (process.code_signature.subject_name == "Microsoft Corporation" and process.code_signature.trusted == true) */
-
- Version 4 (8.2.0 release)
-
- Formatting only
- Version 3 (7.12.0 release)
-
- Formatting only
- Version 2 (7.11.2 release)
-
- Formatting only