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Microsoft Build Engine Started by a Script Process

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Microsoft Build Engine Started by a Script Process

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An instance of MSBuild, the Microsoft Build Engine, was started by a script or the Windows command interpreter. This behavior is unusual and is sometimes used by malicious payloads.

Rule type: eql

Rule indices:

  • winlogbeat-*
  • logs-endpoint.events.*
  • logs-windows.*

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: 10 (version history)

Added (Elastic Stack release): 7.7.0

Last modified (Elastic Stack release): 7.16.0

Rule authors: Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License v2

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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process where event.type == "start" and (process.name :
"MSBuild.exe" or process.pe.original_file_name == "MSBuild.exe") and
process.parent.name : ("cmd.exe", "powershell.exe", "pwsh.exe",
"powershell_ise.exe", "cscript.exe", "wscript.exe", "mshta.exe")

Threat mapping

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Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM

Rule version history

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Version 10 (7.16.0 release)

  • Updated query, changed from:

    process where event.type == "start" and (process.name :
"MSBuild.exe" or process.pe.original_file_name == "MSBuild.exe") and
process.parent.name : ("cmd.exe", "powershell.exe", "cscript.exe",
"wscript.exe", "mshta.exe")
Version 8 (7.13.0 release)

  • Updated query, changed from:

    event.category:process and event.type: start and
process.name:MSBuild.exe and process.parent.name:(cmd.exe or
powershell.exe or cscript.exe or wscript.exe)
Version 7 (7.12.0 release)
  • Formatting only
Version 6 (7.11.2 release)
  • Formatting only
Version 5 (7.11.0 release)
  • Formatting only
Version 4 (7.10.0 release)
  • Formatting only
Version 3 (7.9.1 release)
  • Formatting only
Version 2 (7.9.0 release)

  • Updated query, changed from:

    process.name:MSBuild.exe and process.parent.name:(cmd.exe or
powershell.exe or cscript.exe or wscript.exe) and
event.action:"Process Create (rule: ProcessCreate)"
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