ScreenConnect Server Spawning Suspicious Processes

 1[metadata]
 2creation_date = "2024/03/26"
 3integration = ["endpoint", "windows", "system", "m365_defender", "sentinel_one_cloud_funnel", "crowdstrike"]
 4maturity = "production"
 5updated_date = "2024/11/02"
 6min_stack_version = "8.14.0"
 7min_stack_comments = "Breaking change at 8.14.0 for the Windows Integration."
 8
 9[rule]
10author = ["Elastic"]
11description = """
12Identifies suspicious processes being spawned by the ScreenConnect server process (ScreenConnect.Service.exe). This
13activity may indicate exploitation activity or access to an existing web shell backdoor.
14"""
15from = "now-9m"
16index = [
17    "logs-endpoint.events.process-*",
18    "winlogbeat-*",
19    "logs-windows.forwarded*",
20    "logs-windows.sysmon_operational-*",
21    "endgame-*",
22    "logs-system.security*",
23    "logs-m365_defender.event-*",
24    "logs-sentinel_one_cloud_funnel.*",
25    "logs-crowdstrike.fdr*",
26]
27language = "eql"
28license = "Elastic License v2"
29name = "ScreenConnect Server Spawning Suspicious Processes"
30references = ["https://blackpointcyber.com/resources/blog/breaking-through-the-screen/"]
31risk_score = 73
32rule_id = "3d00feab-e203-4acc-a463-c3e15b7e9a73"
33severity = "high"
34tags = [
35    "Domain: Endpoint",
36    "OS: Windows",
37    "Use Case: Threat Detection",
38    "Tactic: Initial Access",
39    "Tactic: Execution",
40    "Data Source: Elastic Endgame",
41    "Data Source: Elastic Defend",
42    "Data Source: Sysmon",
43    "Data Source: System",
44    "Data Source: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint",
45    "Data Source: SentinelOne",
46    "Data Source: Crowdstrike",
47]
48timestamp_override = "event.ingested"
49type = "eql"
50
51query = '''
52process where host.os.type == "windows" and event.type == "start" and
53  process.parent.name : "ScreenConnect.Service.exe" and
54  (process.name : ("cmd.exe", "powershell.exe", "pwsh.exe", "powershell_ise.exe", "csc.exe") or
55  ?process.pe.original_file_name in ("cmd.exe", "powershell.exe", "pwsh.dll", "powershell_ise.exe"))
56'''
57
58
59[[rule.threat]]
60framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
61[[rule.threat.technique]]
62id = "T1190"
63name = "Exploit Public-Facing Application"
64reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1190/"
65
66
67[rule.threat.tactic]
68id = "TA0001"
69name = "Initial Access"
70reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0001/"
71[[rule.threat]]
72framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
73[[rule.threat.technique]]
74id = "T1059"
75name = "Command and Scripting Interpreter"
76reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/"
77[[rule.threat.technique.subtechnique]]
78id = "T1059.001"
79name = "PowerShell"
80reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/001/"
81
82[[rule.threat.technique.subtechnique]]
83id = "T1059.003"
84name = "Windows Command Shell"
85reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/003/"
86
87
88
89[rule.threat.tactic]
90id = "TA0002"
91name = "Execution"
92reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0002/"