Microsoft Management Console File from Unusual Path

 1[metadata]
 2creation_date = "2024/06/19"
 3integration = ["endpoint", "windows", "sentinel_one_cloud_funnel", "m365_defender", "system", "crowdstrike"]
 4maturity = "production"
 5min_stack_comments = "Breaking change at 8.14.0 for the Windows Integration."
 6min_stack_version = "8.14.0"
 7updated_date = "2024/10/31"
 8
 9[rule]
10author = ["Elastic"]
11description = """
12Identifies attempts to open a Microsoft Management Console File from untrusted paths. Adversaries may use
13MSC files for initial access and execution.
14"""
15from = "now-9m"
16index = ["logs-endpoint.events.process-*", "winlogbeat-*", "logs-windows.*", "endgame-*", "logs-system.security*", "logs-sentinel_one_cloud_funnel.*", "logs-m365_defender.event-*", "logs-crowdstrike.fdr*"]
17language = "eql"
18license = "Elastic License v2"
19name = "Microsoft Management Console File from Unusual Path"
20references = ["https://www.elastic.co/security-labs/grimresource"]
21risk_score = 73
22rule_id = "7e23dfef-da2c-4d64-b11d-5f285b638853"
23severity = "high"
24tags = [
25    "Domain: Endpoint",
26    "OS: Windows",
27    "Use Case: Threat Detection",
28    "Tactic: Execution",
29    "Data Source: Elastic Endgame",
30    "Data Source: Elastic Defend",
31    "Data Source: SentinelOne",
32    "Data Source: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint",
33    "Data Source: System",
34    "Data Source: Crowdstrike",
35]
36timestamp_override = "event.ingested"
37type = "eql"
38
39query = '''
40process where host.os.type == "windows" and event.type == "start" and
41  process.executable : (
42    "?:\\Windows\\System32\\mmc.exe",
43    "\\Device\\HarddiskVolume?\\Windows\\System32\\mmc.exe"
44  ) and
45  process.args : "*.msc" and
46  not process.args : (
47        "?:\\Windows\\System32\\*.msc",
48        "?:\\Windows\\SysWOW64\\*.msc",
49        "?:\\Program files\\*.msc",
50        "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\*.msc"
51  )
52'''
53
54
55[[rule.threat]]
56framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
57
58[[rule.threat.technique]]
59id = "T1059"
60name = "Command and Scripting Interpreter"
61reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/"
62
63[[rule.threat.technique.subtechnique]]
64id = "T1059.005"
65name = "Visual Basic"
66reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/005/"
67
68[[rule.threat.technique.subtechnique]]
69id = "T1059.007"
70name = "JavaScript"
71reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/007/"
72
73[rule.threat.tactic]
74id = "TA0002"
75name = "Execution"
76reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0002/"
77
78
79[[rule.threat]]
80framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
81[[rule.threat.technique]]
82id = "T1218"
83name = "System Binary Proxy Execution"
84reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/"
85[[rule.threat.technique.subtechnique]]
86id = "T1218.014"
87name = "MMC"
88reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/014/"
89
90
91
92[rule.threat.tactic]
93id = "TA0005"
94name = "Defense Evasion"
95reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/"