Suspicious WMIC XSL Script Execution

edit

Identifies WMIC allowlist bypass techniques by alerting on suspicious execution of scripts. When WMIC loads scripting libraries it may be indicative of an allowlist bypass.

Rule type: eql

Rule indices:

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

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:

  • Elastic
  • Host
  • Windows
  • Threat Detection
  • Defense Evasion

Version: 101

Rule authors:

  • Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License v2

Rule query

edit
sequence by process.entity_id with maxspan = 2m
[process where event.type == "start" and
   (process.name : "WMIC.exe" or process.pe.original_file_name : "wmic.exe") and
   process.args : ("format*:*", "/format*:*", "*-format*:*") and
   not process.command_line : "* /format:table *"]
[any where (event.category == "library" or (event.category == "process" and event.action : "Image loaded*")) and
 (dll.name : ("jscript.dll", "vbscript.dll") or file.name : ("jscript.dll", "vbscript.dll"))]

Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM