Persistence via WMI Event Subscription

 1[metadata]
 2creation_date = "2020/12/04"
 3integration = ["endpoint", "windows", "system", "m365_defender", "sentinel_one_cloud_funnel"]
 4maturity = "production"
 5updated_date = "2024/10/10"
 6min_stack_version = "8.13.0"
 7min_stack_comments = "Breaking change at 8.13.0 for SentinelOne Integration."
 8
 9[rule]
10author = ["Elastic"]
11description = """
12An adversary can use Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) to install event filters, providers, consumers, and
13bindings that execute code when a defined event occurs. Adversaries may use the capabilities of WMI to subscribe to an
14event and execute arbitrary code when that event occurs, providing persistence on a system.
15"""
16from = "now-9m"
17index = [
18    "logs-endpoint.events.process-*",
19    "winlogbeat-*",
20    "logs-windows.forwarded*",
21    "logs-windows.sysmon_operational-*",
22    "endgame-*",
23    "logs-system.security*",
24    "logs-m365_defender.event-*",
25    "logs-sentinel_one_cloud_funnel.*",
26]
27language = "eql"
28license = "Elastic License v2"
29name = "Persistence via WMI Event Subscription"
30references = ["https://www.elastic.co/security-labs/hunting-for-persistence-using-elastic-security-part-1"]
31risk_score = 21
32rule_id = "9b6813a1-daf1-457e-b0e6-0bb4e55b8a4c"
33severity = "low"
34tags = [
35    "Domain: Endpoint",
36    "OS: Windows",
37    "Use Case: Threat Detection",
38    "Tactic: Persistence",
39    "Tactic: Execution",
40    "Data Source: Elastic Endgame",
41    "Data Source: Elastic Defend",
42    "Data Source: System",
43    "Data Source: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint",
44    "Data Source: Sysmon",
45    "Data Source: SentinelOne",
46]
47timestamp_override = "event.ingested"
48type = "eql"
49
50query = '''
51process where host.os.type == "windows" and event.type == "start" and
52  (process.name : "wmic.exe" or ?process.pe.original_file_name == "wmic.exe") and
53  process.args : "create" and
54  process.args : ("ActiveScriptEventConsumer", "CommandLineEventConsumer")
55'''
56
57
58[[rule.threat]]
59framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
60[[rule.threat.technique]]
61id = "T1546"
62name = "Event Triggered Execution"
63reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1546/"
64[[rule.threat.technique.subtechnique]]
65id = "T1546.003"
66name = "Windows Management Instrumentation Event Subscription"
67reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1546/003/"
68
69
70
71[rule.threat.tactic]
72id = "TA0003"
73name = "Persistence"
74reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0003/"
75[[rule.threat]]
76framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
77[[rule.threat.technique]]
78id = "T1047"
79name = "Windows Management Instrumentation"
80reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1047/"
81
82
83[rule.threat.tactic]
84id = "TA0002"
85name = "Execution"
86reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0002/"