Potential Mpclient.DLL Sideloading

 1title: Potential Mpclient.DLL Sideloading
 2id: 418dc89a-9808-4b87-b1d7-e5ae0cb6effc
 3related:
 4    - id: 7002aa10-b8d4-47ae-b5ba-51ab07e228b9
 5      type: similar
 6status: test
 7description: Detects potential sideloading of "mpclient.dll" by Windows Defender processes ("MpCmdRun" and "NisSrv") from their non-default directory.
 8references:
 9    - https://www.sentinelone.com/blog/living-off-windows-defender-lockbit-ransomware-sideloads-cobalt-strike-through-microsoft-security-tool
10author: Bhabesh Raj
11date: 2022-08-02
12modified: 2023-08-04
13tags:
14    - attack.defense-evasion
15    - attack.t1574.002
16logsource:
17    product: windows
18    category: image_load
19detection:
20    selection:
21        ImageLoaded|endswith: '\mpclient.dll'
22        Image|endswith:
23            - '\MpCmdRun.exe'
24            - '\NisSrv.exe'
25    filter_main_known_locations:
26        Image|startswith:
27            - 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Defender\'
28            - 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client\'
29            - 'C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\'
30            - 'C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Platform\'
31            - 'C:\Windows\WinSxS\'
32    condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_*
33falsepositives:
34    - Unlikely
35level: high