Program Files Directory Masquerading

Identifies execution from a directory masquerading as the Windows Program Files directories. These paths are trusted and usually host trusted third party programs. An adversary may leverage masquerading, along with low privileges to bypass detections allowlisting those folders.

Rule type: eql

Rule indices:

winlogbeat-*
logs-endpoint.events.process-*
logs-windows.forwarded*
logs-windows.sysmon_operational-*
endgame-*
logs-system.security*
logs-m365_defender.event-*
logs-sentinel_one_cloud_funnel.*
logs-crowdstrike.fdr*

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: Defense Evasion
Data Source: Elastic Endgame
Data Source: Elastic Defend
Data Source: System
Data Source: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Data Source: Sysmon
Data Source: SentinelOne
Data Source: Crowdstrike

Version: 312

Rule authors:

Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License v2

Rule query

edit

process where host.os.type == "windows" and event.type == "start" and
  process.executable : (
    "C:\\*Program*Files*\\*.exe",
    "\\Device\\HarddiskVolume?\\*Program*Files*\\*.exe"
  ) and
  not process.executable : (
        "?:\\Program Files\\*.exe",
        "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\*.exe",
        "?:\\Users\\*.exe",
        "?:\\ProgramData\\*.exe",
        "?:\\Windows\\Downloaded Program Files\\*.exe",
        "?:\\Windows\\Temp\\.opera\\????????????\\CProgram?FilesOpera*\\*.exe",
        "?:\\Windows\\Temp\\.opera\\????????????\\CProgram?Files?(x86)Opera*\\*.exe"
  ) and
  not (
    event.dataset == "crowdstrike.fdr" and
      process.executable : (
        "\\Device\\HarddiskVolume?\\Program Files\\*.exe",
        "\\Device\\HarddiskVolume?\\Program Files (x86)\\*.exe",
        "\\Device\\HarddiskVolume?\\Users\\*.exe",
        "\\Device\\HarddiskVolume?\\ProgramData\\*.exe",
        "\\Device\\HarddiskVolume?\\Windows\\Downloaded Program Files\\*.exe",
        "\\Device\\HarddiskVolume?\\Windows\\Temp\\.opera\\????????????\\CProgram?FilesOpera*\\*.exe",
        "\\Device\\HarddiskVolume?\\Windows\\Temp\\.opera\\????????????\\CProgram?Files?(x86)Opera*\\*.exe"
      )
  )

Framework: MITRE ATT&CK^TM

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/
Sub-technique:
- Name: Match Legitimate Name or Location
- ID: T1036.005
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1036/005/

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