IMPORTANT: No additional bug fixes or documentation updates will be released for this version. For the latest information, see the current release documentation.

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Microsoft Build Engine Using an Alternate Name

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Microsoft Build Engine Using an Alternate Name

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An instance of MSBuild, the Microsoft Build Engine, was started after being renamed. This is uncommon behavior and may indicate an attempt to run MSBuild unnoticed or undetected.

Rule type: query

Rule indices:

winlogbeat-*
logs-endpoint.events.*

Severity: low

Risk score: 21

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

Version: 6 (version history)

Added (Elastic Stack release): 7.7.0

Last modified (Elastic Stack release): 7.11.2

Rule authors: Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License

Potential false positives

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The Build Engine is commonly used by Windows developers but use by non-engineers is unusual.

Rule query

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event.category:process and event.type:(start or process_started) and
process.pe.original_file_name:MSBuild.exe and not process.name:
MSBuild.exe

Threat mapping

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Framework: MITRE ATT&CK^TM

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 history

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Version 6 (7.11.2 release)

Formatting only

Version 5 (7.11.0 release)

Updated query, changed from:

event.category:process and event.type:(start or process_started) and
(process.pe.original_file_name:MSBuild.exe or
winlog.event_data.OriginalFileName:MSBuild.exe) and not process.name:
MSBuild.exe

Version 4 (7.10.0 release)

Updated query, changed from:

event.category:process and event.type:(start or process_started) and
(pe.original_file_name:MSBuild.exe or
winlog.event_data.OriginalFileName:MSBuild.exe) and not process.name:
MSBuild.exe

Version 3 (7.9.1 release)

Formatting only

Version 2 (7.9.0 release)

Updated query, changed from:

(pe.original_file_name:MSBuild.exe or
winlog.event_data.OriginalFileName: MSBuild.exe) and not process.name:
MSBuild.exe and event.action: "Process Create (rule: ProcessCreate)"

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