New Remote Desktop Connection Initiated Via Mstsc.EXE
Detects the usage of "mstsc.exe" with the "/v" flag to initiate a connection to a remote server. Adversaries may use valid accounts to log into a computer using the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). The adversary may then perform actions as the logged-on user.
Sigma rule (View on GitHub)
1title: New Remote Desktop Connection Initiated Via Mstsc.EXE
2id: 954f0af7-62dd-418f-b3df-a84bc2c7a774
3status: test
4description: |
5 Detects the usage of "mstsc.exe" with the "/v" flag to initiate a connection to a remote server.
6 Adversaries may use valid accounts to log into a computer using the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). The adversary may then perform actions as the logged-on user.
7references:
8 - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1021.001/T1021.001.md#t1021001---remote-desktop-protocol
9 - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/mstsc
10author: frack113
11date: 2022-01-07
12modified: 2024-06-04
13tags:
14 - attack.lateral-movement
15 - attack.t1021.001
16logsource:
17 category: process_creation
18 product: windows
19detection:
20 selection_img:
21 - Image|endswith: '\mstsc.exe'
22 - OriginalFileName: 'mstsc.exe'
23 selection_cli:
24 CommandLine|contains|windash: ' /v:'
25 filter_optional_wsl:
26 # Example: mstsc.exe /v:XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX /hvsocketserviceid:XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX /silent /wslg /plugin:WSLDVC /wslgsharedmemorypath:WSL\XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX\wslg C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\WSL\wslg.rdp
27 ParentImage: 'C:\Windows\System32\lxss\wslhost.exe'
28 CommandLine|contains: 'C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\WSL\wslg.rdp'
29 condition: all of selection_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*
30falsepositives:
31 - WSL (Windows Sub System For Linux)
32level: medium
References
-
Small and highly portable detection tests based on MITRE's ATT&CK. - redcanaryco/atomic-red-team
Read More
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