IMPORTANT: No additional bug fixes or documentation updates
will be released for this version. For the latest information, see the
current release documentation.
Privileges Elevation via Parent Process PID Spoofing
editPrivileges Elevation via Parent Process PID Spoofing
editIdentifies parent process spoofing used to create an elevated child process. Adversaries may spoof the parent process identifier (PPID) of a new process to evade process-monitoring defenses or to elevate privileges.
Rule type: eql
Rule indices:
- logs-endpoint.events.*
Severity: high
Risk score: 73
Runs every: 5m
Searches indices from: now-9m (Date Math format, see also Additional look-back time
)
Maximum alerts per execution: 100
References:
- https://gist.github.com/xpn/a057a26ec81e736518ee50848b9c2cd6
- https://blog.didierstevens.com/2017/03/20/
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/processthreadsapi/nf-processthreadsapi-updateprocthreadattribute
- https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/master/atomics/T1134.002/T1134.002.md
Tags:
- Domain: Endpoint
- OS: Windows
- Use Case: Threat Detection
- Tactic: Privilege Escalation
- Data Source: Elastic Defend
Version: 5
Rule authors:
- Elastic
Rule license: Elastic License v2
Rule query
edit/* This rule is compatible with Elastic Endpoint only */ process where host.os.type == "windows" and event.action == "start" and /* process creation via seclogon */ process.parent.Ext.real.pid > 0 and /* PrivEsc to SYSTEM */ user.id : "S-1-5-18" and /* Common FPs - evasion via hollowing is possible, should be covered by code injection */ not process.executable : ("?:\\Windows\\System32\\WerFault.exe", "?:\\Windows\\SysWOW64\\WerFault.exe", "?:\\Windows\\System32\\WerFaultSecure.exe", "?:\\Windows\\SysWOW64\\WerFaultSecure.exe", "?:\\Windows\\System32\\Wermgr.exe", "?:\\Windows\\SysWOW64\\Wermgr.exe", "?:\\Windows\\SoftwareDistribution\\Download\\Install\\securityhealthsetup.exe") and /* Logon Utilities */ not (process.parent.executable : "?:\\Windows\\System32\\Utilman.exe" and process.executable : ("?:\\Windows\\System32\\osk.exe", "?:\\Windows\\System32\\Narrator.exe", "?:\\Windows\\System32\\Magnify.exe")) and not process.parent.executable : "?:\\Windows\\System32\\AtBroker.exe" and not (process.code_signature.subject_name in ("philandro Software GmbH", "Freedom Scientific Inc.", "TeamViewer Germany GmbH", "Projector.is, Inc.", "TeamViewer GmbH", "Cisco WebEx LLC", "Dell Inc") and process.code_signature.trusted == true) and /* AM_Delta_Patch Windows Update */ not (process.executable : ("?:\\Windows\\System32\\MpSigStub.exe", "?:\\Windows\\SysWOW64\\MpSigStub.exe") and process.parent.executable : ("?:\\Windows\\System32\\wuauclt.exe", "?:\\Windows\\SysWOW64\\wuauclt.exe", "?:\\Windows\\UUS\\Packages\\Preview\\*\\wuaucltcore.exe", "?:\\Windows\\UUS\\amd64\\wuauclt.exe", "?:\\Windows\\UUS\\amd64\\wuaucltcore.exe", "?:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Windows\\UUS\\*\\wuaucltcore.exe")) and not (process.executable : ("?:\\Windows\\System32\\MpSigStub.exe", "?:\\Windows\\SysWOW64\\MpSigStub.exe") and process.parent.executable == null) and /* Other third party SW */ not process.parent.executable : ("?:\\Program Files (x86)\\HEAT Software\\HEAT Remote\\HEATRemoteServer.exe", "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\VisualCron\\VisualCronService.exe", "?:\\Program Files\\BinaryDefense\\Vision\\Agent\\bds-vision-agent-app.exe", "?:\\Program Files\\Tablet\\Wacom\\WacomHost.exe", "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\LogMeIn\\x64\\LogMeIn.exe", "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\EMC Captiva\\Captiva Cloud Runtime\\Emc.Captiva.WebCaptureRunner.exe", "?:\\Program Files\\Freedom Scientific\\*.exe", "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\Google\\Chrome Remote Desktop\\*\\remoting_host.exe", "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\GoToAssist Remote Support Customer\\*\\g2ax_comm_customer.exe")
Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM
-
Tactic:
- Name: Privilege Escalation
- ID: TA0004
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0004/
-
Technique:
- Name: Access Token Manipulation
- ID: T1134
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1134/
-
Sub-technique:
- Name: Create Process with Token
- ID: T1134.002
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1134/002/
-
Sub-technique:
- Name: Parent PID Spoofing
- ID: T1134.004
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1134/004/