IMPORTANT: No additional bug fixes or documentation updates
will be released for this version. For the latest information, see the
current release documentation.
Process Execution from an Unusual Directory
editProcess Execution from an Unusual Directory
editIdentifies process execution from suspicious default Windows directories. This is sometimes done by adversaries to hide malware in trusted paths.
Rule type: eql
Rule indices:
- winlogbeat-*
- logs-endpoint.events.*
- logs-windows.*
Severity: medium
Risk score: 47
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: 101 (version history)
Added (Elastic Stack release): 7.11.0
Last modified (Elastic Stack release): 8.5.0
Rule authors: Elastic
Rule license: Elastic License v2
Investigation guide
editRule query
editprocess where event.type == "start" and /* add suspicious execution paths here */ process.executable : ("C:\\PerfLogs\\*.exe","C:\\Users\\ Public\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Tasks\\*.exe","C:\\Intel\\*.exe","C:\\AMD \\Temp\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\AppReadiness\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Servi ceState\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\security\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\IdentityC RL\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Branding\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\csc\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\DigitalLocker\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\en-US\\*.exe","C:\\W indows\\wlansvc\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Prefetch\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\F onts\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\diagnostics\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\TAPI\\* .exe","C:\\Windows\\INF\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\System32\\Speech\\*.exe" ,"C:\\windows\\tracing\\*.exe", "c:\\windows\\IME\\*.exe","c:\\Window s\\Performance\\*.exe","c:\\windows\\intel\\*.exe","c:\\windows\\ms\\* .exe","C:\\Windows\\dot3svc\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\panther\\*.exe","C :\\Windows\\RemotePackages\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\OCR\\*.exe","C:\\Wind ows\\appcompat\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\apppatch\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\ad dins\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Setup\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Help\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\SKB\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Vss\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Web\ \*.exe","C:\\Windows\\servicing\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\CbsTemp\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Logs\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\WaaS\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Sh ellExperiences\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\ShellComponents\\*.exe","C:\\Wind ows\\PLA\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Migration\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\debug \\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Cursors\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Containers\\*.exe ","C:\\Windows\\Boot\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\bcastdvr\\*.exe", "C:\\Win dows\\assembly\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\TextInput\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\s ecurity\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\schemas\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\SchCache\\ *.exe","C:\\Windows\\Resources\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\rescache\\*.exe ","C:\\Windows\\Provisioning\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\PrintDialog\\*.exe" ,"C:\\Windows\\PolicyDefinitions\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\media\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Globalization\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\L2Schemas\\*.exe","C :\\Windows\\LiveKernelReports\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\ModemLogs\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\ImmersiveControlPanel\\*.exe") and not process.name : ( "SpeechUXWiz.exe","SystemSettings.exe","TrustedInstaller.exe","PrintDi alog.exe","MpSigStub.exe","LMS.exe","mpam-*.exe") and not process.executable : ("?:\\Intel\\Wireless\\WUSetupLauncher.exe", "?:\\Intel\\Wireless\\Setup.exe", "?:\\Intel\\Move Mouse.exe", "?:\\windows\\Panther\\DiagTrackRunner.exe", "?:\\Windows\\servicing\\GC64\\tzupd.exe", "?:\\Users\\Public\\res\\RemoteLite.exe", "?:\\Users\\Public\\IBM\\ClientSolutions\\*.exe", "?:\\Users\\Public\\Documents\\syspin.exe", "?:\\Users\\Public\\res\\FileWatcher.exe") /* uncomment once in winlogbeat */ /* and not (process.code_signature.subject_name == "Microsoft Corporation" and process.code_signature.trusted == true) */
Threat mapping
editFramework: MITRE ATT&CKTM
-
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
edit- Version 101 (8.5.0 release)
-
-
Updated query, changed from:
process where event.type in ("start", "process_started", "info") and /* add suspicious execution paths here */ process.executable : ("C:\\P erfLogs\\*.exe","C:\\Users\\Public\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Tasks\\*.exe" ,"C:\\Intel\\*.exe","C:\\AMD\\Temp\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\AppReadiness\ \*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\ServiceState\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\security\\*. exe","C:\\Windows\\IdentityCRL\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Branding\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\csc\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\DigitalLocker\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\en-US\\*.exe","C:\\W indows\\wlansvc\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Prefetch\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\F onts\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\diagnostics\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\TAPI\\* .exe","C:\\Windows\\INF\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\System32\\Speech\\*.exe" ,"C:\\windows\\tracing\\*.exe", "c:\\windows\\IME\\*.exe","c:\\Window s\\Performance\\*.exe","c:\\windows\\intel\\*.exe","c:\\windows\\ms\\* .exe","C:\\Windows\\dot3svc\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\panther\\*.exe","C :\\Windows\\RemotePackages\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\OCR\\*.exe","C:\\Wind ows\\appcompat\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\apppatch\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\ad dins\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Setup\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Help\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\SKB\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Vss\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Web\ \*.exe","C:\\Windows\\servicing\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\CbsTemp\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Logs\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\WaaS\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Sh ellExperiences\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\ShellComponents\\*.exe","C:\\Wind ows\\PLA\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Migration\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\debug \\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Cursors\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Containers\\*.exe ","C:\\Windows\\Boot\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\bcastdvr\\*.exe", "C:\\Win dows\\assembly\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\TextInput\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\s ecurity\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\schemas\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\SchCache\\ *.exe","C:\\Windows\\Resources\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\rescache\\*.exe ","C:\\Windows\\Provisioning\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\PrintDialog\\*.exe" ,"C:\\Windows\\PolicyDefinitions\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\media\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Globalization\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\L2Schemas\\*.exe","C :\\Windows\\LiveKernelReports\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\ModemLogs\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\ImmersiveControlPanel\\*.exe") and not process.name : ( "SpeechUXWiz.exe","SystemSettings.exe","TrustedInstaller.exe","PrintDi alog.exe","MpSigStub.exe","LMS.exe","mpam-*.exe") and not process.executable : ("?:\\Intel\\Wireless\\WUSetupLauncher.exe", "?:\\Intel\\Wireless\\Setup.exe", "?:\\Intel\\Move Mouse.exe", "?:\\windows\\Panther\\DiagTrackRunner.exe", "?:\\Windows\\servicing\\GC64\\tzupd.exe", "?:\\Users\\Public\\res\\RemoteLite.exe", "?:\\Users\\Public\\IBM\\ClientSolutions\\*.exe", "?:\\Users\\Public\\Documents\\syspin.exe", "?:\\Users\\Public\\res\\FileWatcher.exe") /* uncomment once in winlogbeat */ /* and not (process.code_signature.subject_name == "Microsoft Corporation" and process.code_signature.trusted == true) */
-
- Version 6 (8.4.0 release)
-
-
Updated query, changed from:
process where event.type in ("start", "process_started", "info") and /* add suspicious execution paths here */ process.executable : ("C:\\P erfLogs\\*.exe","C:\\Users\\Public\\*.exe","C:\\Users\\Default\\*.exe" ,"C:\\Windows\\Tasks\\*.exe","C:\\Intel\\*.exe","C:\\AMD\\Temp\\*.exe" ,"C:\\Windows\\AppReadiness\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\ServiceState\\*.exe ","C:\\Windows\\security\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\IdentityCRL\\*.exe","C: \\Windows\\Branding\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\csc\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\DigitalLocker\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\en-US\\*.exe","C:\\W indows\\wlansvc\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Prefetch\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\F onts\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\diagnostics\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\TAPI\\* .exe","C:\\Windows\\INF\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\System32\\Speech\\*.exe" ,"C:\\windows\\tracing\\*.exe", "c:\\windows\\IME\\*.exe","c:\\Window s\\Performance\\*.exe","c:\\windows\\intel\\*.exe","c:\\windows\\ms\\* .exe","C:\\Windows\\dot3svc\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\ServiceProfiles\\*.e xe", "C:\\Windows\\panther\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\RemotePackages\\*.ex e","C:\\Windows\\OCR\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\appcompat\\*.exe","C:\\Wind ows\\apppatch\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\addins\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Set up\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Help\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\SKB\\*.exe","C:\\W indows\\Vss\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Web\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\servicing\ \*.exe","C:\\Windows\\CbsTemp\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Logs\\*.exe","C: \\Windows\\WaaS\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\twain_32\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\S hellExperiences\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\ShellComponents\\*.exe","C:\\Win dows\\PLA\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Migration\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\debu g\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Cursors\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Containers\\*.ex e","C:\\Windows\\Boot\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\bcastdvr\\*.exe", "C:\\Wi ndows\\assembly\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\TextInput\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\ security\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\schemas\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\SchCache\ \*.exe","C:\\Windows\\Resources\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\rescache\\*.ex e","C:\\Windows\\Provisioning\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\PrintDialog\\*.exe ","C:\\Windows\\PolicyDefinitions\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\media\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\Globalization\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\L2Schemas\\*.exe","C :\\Windows\\LiveKernelReports\\*.exe","C:\\Windows\\ModemLogs\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\ImmersiveControlPanel\\*.exe") and not process.name : ( "SpeechUXWiz.exe","SystemSettings.exe","TrustedInstaller.exe","PrintDi alog.exe","MpSigStub.exe","LMS.exe","mpam-*.exe") /* uncomment once in winlogbeat */ /* and not (process.code_signature.subject_name == "Microsoft Corporation" and process.code_signature.trusted == true) */
-
- Version 4 (8.2.0 release)
-
- Formatting only
- Version 3 (7.12.0 release)
-
- Formatting only
- Version 2 (7.11.2 release)
-
- Formatting only