IMPORTANT: No additional bug fixes or documentation updates
will be released for this version. For the latest information, see the
current release documentation.
Suspicious RDP ActiveX Client Loaded
editSuspicious RDP ActiveX Client Loaded
editIdentifies suspicious Image Loading of the Remote Desktop Services ActiveX Client (mstscax), this may indicate the presence of RDP lateral movement capability.
Rule type: eql
Rule indices:
- logs-endpoint.events.*
- winlogbeat-*
- logs-windows.*
- endgame-*
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:
Tags:
- Domain: Endpoint
- OS: Windows
- Use Case: Threat Detection
- Tactic: Lateral Movement
- Data Source: Elastic Endgame
- Data Source: Elastic Defend
Version: 107
Rule authors:
- Elastic
Rule license: Elastic License v2
Rule query
editany where host.os.type == "windows" and
(event.category : ("library", "driver") or (event.category == "process" and event.action : "Image loaded*")) and
(dll.name : "mstscax.dll" or file.name : "mstscax.dll") and
/* depending on noise in your env add here extra paths */
process.executable : (
"C:\\Windows\\*",
"C:\\Users\\Public\\*",
"C:\\Users\\Default\\*",
"C:\\Intel\\*",
"C:\\PerfLogs\\*",
"C:\\ProgramData\\*",
"\\Device\\Mup\\*",
"\\\\*"
) and
/* add here FPs */
not process.executable : (
"?:\\Windows\\System32\\mstsc.exe",
"?:\\Windows\\SysWOW64\\mstsc.exe",
"?:\\Windows\\System32\\vmconnect.exe",
"?:\\Windows\\System32\\WindowsSandboxClient.exe",
"?:\\Windows\\System32\\hvsirdpclient.exe"
)
Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM
-
Tactic:
- Name: Lateral Movement
- ID: TA0008
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0008/
-
Technique:
- Name: Remote Services
- ID: T1021
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1021/
-
Sub-technique:
- Name: Remote Desktop Protocol
- ID: T1021.001
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1021/001/