Suspicious Explorer Child Process
editSuspicious Explorer Child Process
editIdentifies a suspicious Windows explorer child process. Explorer.exe can be abused to launch malicious scripts or executables from a trusted parent process.
Rule type: eql
Rule indices:
- logs-endpoint.events.process-*
- winlogbeat-*
- logs-windows.sysmon_operational-*
- endgame-*
- logs-m365_defender.event-*
- logs-sentinel_one_cloud_funnel.*
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:
- Domain: Endpoint
- OS: Windows
- Use Case: Threat Detection
- Tactic: Initial Access
- Tactic: Defense Evasion
- Tactic: Execution
- Data Source: Elastic Endgame
- Data Source: Elastic Defend
- Data Source: Sysmon
- Data Source: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
- Data Source: SentinelOne
Version: 309
Rule authors:
- Elastic
Rule license: Elastic License v2
Rule query
editprocess where host.os.type == "windows" and event.type == "start" and
(
process.name : ("cscript.exe", "wscript.exe", "powershell.exe", "rundll32.exe", "cmd.exe", "mshta.exe", "regsvr32.exe") or
?process.pe.original_file_name in ("cscript.exe", "wscript.exe", "PowerShell.EXE", "RUNDLL32.EXE", "Cmd.Exe", "MSHTA.EXE", "REGSVR32.EXE")
) and
/* Explorer started via DCOM */
process.parent.name : "explorer.exe" and process.parent.args : "-Embedding" and
not process.parent.args:
(
/* Noisy CLSID_SeparateSingleProcessExplorerHost Explorer COM Class IDs */
"/factory,{5BD95610-9434-43C2-886C-57852CC8A120}",
"/factory,{ceff45ee-c862-41de-aee2-a022c81eda92}"
)
Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM
-
Tactic:
- Name: Initial Access
- ID: TA0001
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0001/
-
Technique:
- Name: Phishing
- ID: T1566
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1566/
-
Sub-technique:
- Name: Spearphishing Attachment
- ID: T1566.001
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1566/001/
-
Sub-technique:
- Name: Spearphishing Link
- ID: T1566.002
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1566/002/
-
Tactic:
- Name: Execution
- ID: TA0002
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0002/
-
Technique:
- Name: Command and Scripting Interpreter
- ID: T1059
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/
-
Sub-technique:
- Name: PowerShell
- ID: T1059.001
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/001/
-
Sub-technique:
- Name: Windows Command Shell
- ID: T1059.003
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/003/
-
Sub-technique:
- Name: Visual Basic
- ID: T1059.005
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/005/
-
Tactic:
- Name: Defense Evasion
- ID: TA0005
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/
-
Technique:
- Name: System Binary Proxy Execution
- ID: T1218
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/