Brand impersonation: Microsoft with low reputation links

Detects low reputation links with Microsoft specific indicators in the body.

Sublime rule (View on GitHub)

  1name: "Brand impersonation: Microsoft with low reputation links"
  2description: "Detects low reputation links with Microsoft specific indicators in the body."
  3type: "rule"
  4severity: "medium"
  5source: |
  6 type.inbound
  7 and 0 < length(body.links) < 50
  8 // suspicious link
  9 and any(body.links,
 10         (
 11           .href_url.domain.tld == "ru"
 12           or .href_url.domain.root_domain not in $tranco_1m
 13           or .href_url.domain.domain in $free_file_hosts
 14           or .href_url.domain.root_domain in $free_file_hosts
 15           or .href_url.domain.root_domain in $free_subdomain_hosts
 16           or .href_url.domain.domain in $url_shorteners
 17           or .href_url.domain.domain in $social_landing_hosts
 18           // account for URL rewrites
 19           or (
 20             any(.href_url.query_params_decoded["domain"],
 21                 strings.parse_domain(.).tld == "ru"
 22                 or strings.parse_domain(.).root_domain not in~ $tranco_1m
 23                 or strings.parse_domain(.).domain in~ $free_file_hosts
 24                 or strings.parse_domain(.).root_domain in~ $free_file_hosts
 25                 or strings.parse_domain(.).root_domain in~ $free_subdomain_hosts
 26                 or strings.parse_domain(.).domain in~ $url_shorteners
 27                 or strings.parse_domain(.).domain in~ $social_landing_hosts
 28             )
 29           )
 30           or 
 31 
 32           // mass mailer link, masks the actual URL
 33           .href_url.domain.root_domain in (
 34             "hubspotlinks.com",
 35             "mandrillapp.com",
 36             "sendgrid.net",
 37             "rs6.net"
 38           )
 39 
 40           // Google AMP redirect
 41           or (
 42             .href_url.domain.sld == "google"
 43             and strings.starts_with(.href_url.path, "/amp/")
 44           )
 45 
 46           // Recipient email address in link
 47           or any(body.links,
 48                  any(recipients.to,
 49                      strings.icontains(..href_url.url, .email.email)
 50                      and any(recipients.to, .email.domain.valid)
 51                  )
 52           )
 53           or .href_url.domain.root_domain == "beehiiv.com"
 54         )
 55 
 56         // exclude sources of potential FPs
 57         and (
 58           .href_url.domain.root_domain not in (
 59             "svc.ms",
 60             "sharepoint.com",
 61             "1drv.ms",
 62             "microsoft.com",
 63             "aka.ms",
 64             "msftauthimages.net",
 65             "office.com",
 66             "microsoftproject.com"
 67           )
 68           or any(body.links, .href_url.domain.domain in $free_file_hosts)
 69         )
 70         and .href_url.domain.root_domain not in $org_domains
 71         and .href_url.domain.valid
 72 )
 73 
 74 // not a reply
 75 and (length(headers.references) == 0 or headers.in_reply_to is null)
 76 
 77 // Microsoft logo
 78 and (
 79   any(attachments,
 80       .file_type in $file_types_images
 81       and any(ml.logo_detect(.).brands, strings.starts_with(.name, "Microsoft"))
 82   )
 83   or strings.istarts_with(strings.replace_confusables(body.current_thread.text),
 84                           "Microsoft "
 85   )
 86   or (
 87     regex.imatch(strings.replace_confusables(body.current_thread.text),
 88                  '[\n\s]*[o0O]ff[il1]ce\b.*'
 89     )
 90     and not regex.icontains(strings.replace_confusables(body.current_thread.text
 91                             ),
 92                             'office (for lease|rent|sale)'
 93     )
 94   )
 95   or any(ml.logo_detect(file.message_screenshot()).brands,
 96          strings.starts_with(.name, "Microsoft")
 97   )
 98   or (
 99     regex.icontains(body.html.raw,
100                     '<table[^>]*>\s*<tbody[^>]*>\s*<tr[^>]*>\s*(<td[^>]*bgcolor="#[0-9A-Fa-f]{6}"[^>]*>\s*&nbsp;\s*</td>\s*){2}\s*</tr>\s*<tr[^>]*>\s*(<td[^>]*bgcolor="#[0-9A-Fa-f]{6}"[^>]*>\s*&nbsp;\s*</td>\s*){2}'
101     )
102     or regex.icontains(body.html.raw,
103                        '<td style="background:\s*rgb\(246,\s*93,\s*53\);\s*height:\d+px;">.*?<td style="background:\s*rgb\(129,\s*187,\s*5\);\s*height:\d+px;">.*?<td style="background:\s*rgb\(4,\s*165,\s*240\);\s*height:\d+px;">.*?<td style="background:\s*rgb\(255,\s*186,\s*7\);\s*height:\d+px;">'
104     )
105     or 4 of (
106       regex.icontains(body.html.raw,
107                       '<td style="width:.\d.px;.height:.\d.px;.background-color:.rgb\(245, 189, 67\);">.{0,10}</td>'
108       ),
109       regex.icontains(body.html.raw,
110                       '<td style="width:.\d.px;.height:.\d.px;.background-color:.rgb\(137, 184, 57\);">.{0,10}</td>'
111       ),
112       regex.icontains(body.html.raw,
113                       '<td style="width:.\d.px;.height:.\d.px;.background-color:.rgb\(217, 83, 51\);">.{0,10}</td>'
114       ),
115       regex.icontains(body.html.raw,
116                       '<td style="width:.\d.px;.height:.\d.px;.background-color:.rgb\(71, 160, 218\);">.{0,10}</td>'
117       )
118     )
119   )
120   or regex.icontains(body.html.raw,
121                      '<table[^>]*>\s*<tbody[^>]*>\s*<tr[^>]*>\s*(<td[^>]*bgcolor="#[0-9A-Fa-f]{6}"[^>]*>\s*&nbsp;\s*</td>\s*){2}\s*</tr>\s*<tr[^>]*>\s*(<td[^>]*bgcolor="#[0-9A-Fa-f]{6}"[^>]*>\s*&nbsp;\s*</td>\s*){2}'
122   )
123   or 3 of (
124     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, '.password-expiration'),
125     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'color: #2672ec;'),
126     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'M\x{00AD}ic\x{00AD}ro\x{00AD}so\x{00AD}ft')
127   )
128   or 4 of (
129     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(246,\s?93,\s?53\)'),
130     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(129,\s?187,\s?5\)'),
131     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(4,\s?165,\s?240\)'),
132     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(255,\s?186,\s?7\)'),
133   )
134   or 4 of (
135     regex.icontains(body.html.raw,
136                     '(background-color:|background:|bgcolor=)(.)red'
137     ),
138     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(19,\s?186,\s?132\)'),
139     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(4,\s?166,\s?240\)'),
140     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(255,\s?186,\s?8\)'),
141   )
142   or 4 of (
143     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(245,\s?189,\s?67\)'),
144     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(137,\s?184,\s?57\)'),
145     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(217,\s?83,\s?51\)'),
146     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(71,\s?160,\s?218\)')
147   )
148   or 4 of (
149     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(73,\s?161,\s?232\)'),
150     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(224,\s?92,\s?53\)'),
151     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(139,\s?183,\s?55\)'),
152     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(244,\s?188,\s?65\)')
153   )
154   or 4 of (
155     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(213,\s?56,\s?62\)'),
156     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(0,\s?114,\s?30\)'),
157     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(0,\s?110,\s?173\)'),
158     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(227,\s?209,\s?43\)'),
159   )
160   or 4 of (
161     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(246,\s?93,\s?53\)'),
162     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(129,\s?187,\s?5\)'),
163     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(4,\s?165,\s?240\)'),
164     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(255,\s?186,\s?7\)')
165   )
166   or 4 of (
167     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(242,\s?80,\s?34\)'),
168     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(127,\s?186,\s?0\)'),
169     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(0,\s?164,\s?239\)'),
170     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(255,\s?185,\s?0\)'),
171   )
172   or 4 of (
173     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(243,\s?83,\s?37\)'),
174     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(129,\s?188,\s?6\)'),
175     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(5,\s?166,\s?240\)'),
176     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(255,\s?186,\s?8\)')
177   )
178   or 4 of (
179     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(243,\s?80,\s?34\)'),
180     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(128,\s?187,\s?3\)'),
181     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(3,\s?165,\s?240\)'),
182     regex.icontains(body.html.raw, 'rgb\(255,\s?185,\s?3\)')
183   )
184   or 4 of (
185     regex.icontains(body.html.raw,
186                     '(background-color:|background:|bgcolor=)(.)?(#)?(FF1940|eb5024|F25022|FF1941|red)'
187     ),
188     regex.icontains(body.html.raw,
189                     '(background-color:|background:|bgcolor=)(.)?(#)?(36ba57|3eb55d|7db606|7FBA00|36ba58|green)'
190     ),
191     regex.icontains(body.html.raw,
192                     '(background-color:|background:|bgcolor=)(.)?#(04a1d6|04B5F0|05a1e8|00A4EF|01a4ef|04a5f0)'
193     ),
194     regex.icontains(body.html.raw,
195                     '(background-color:|background:|bgcolor=)(.)?#(FFCA07|f7b408|FFB900|FFCA08|ffb901|ffba07)'
196     ),
197   )
198   or 4 of (
199     regex.icontains(body.html.raw,
200                     '(background-color:|background:|bgcolor=)(.)?#(f65314|f65d35|49a1e8|E74F23|F35325)'
201     ),
202     regex.icontains(body.html.raw,
203                     '(background-color:|background:|bgcolor=)(.)?#(7cbf42|81bb05|e05c35|7AB206|81BC06)'
204     ),
205     regex.icontains(body.html.raw,
206                     '(background-color:|background:|bgcolor=)(.)?#(00a4ef|0078d7|8bb737|04a5f0|059EE4|05A6F0)'
207     ),
208     regex.icontains(body.html.raw,
209                     '(background-color:|background:|bgcolor=)(.)?#(ffb900|ffba07|f4bc41|F2B108|FFBA08)'
210     ),
211   )
212   // fuzzy approach
213   or 4 of (
214     regex.icontains(body.html.raw,
215                     'rgb\((2[1-4][0-9]|250),\s?(7[0-9]|8[0-9]|9[0-3]),\s?(3[0-9]|4[0-9]|5[0-3])\)'
216     ),
217     regex.icontains(body.html.raw,
218                     'rgb\((12[0-9]|13[0-9]),\s?(18[0-9]|190),\s?([0-9]|10)\)'
219     ),
220     regex.icontains(body.html.raw,
221                     'rgb\(([0-9]|1[0-5]),\s?(16[0-5]|166),\s?(23[0-9]|240)\)'
222     ),
223     regex.icontains(body.html.raw,
224                     'rgb\((25[0-5]),\s?(18[5-9]|19[0-9]),\s?([0-9]|10)\)'
225     )
226   )
227 )
228 
229 // suspicious content
230 and (
231   // current thread is empty, but an image attachment is branded as microsoft.
232   // common in image as content
233   (
234     body.current_thread.text == ""
235     and any(attachments,
236             .file_type in $file_types_images
237             and any(ml.logo_detect(.).brands,
238                     strings.starts_with(.name, "Microsoft")
239             )
240     )
241   )
242   or (
243     strings.ilike(body.plain.raw,
244                   "*password*",
245                   "*document*",
246                   "*voicemail*",
247                   "*cache*",
248                   "*fax*",
249                   "*storage*",
250                   "*quota*",
251                   "*message*"
252     )
253     and strings.ilike(body.plain.raw,
254                       "*terminated*",
255                       "*review*",
256                       "*expire*",
257                       "*click*",
258                       "*view*",
259                       "*exceed*",
260                       "*clear*",
261                       "*only works*",
262                       "*failed*",
263                       "*deleted*",
264                       "*revalidated*",
265                       "*renewal*"
266     )
267   )
268   or (
269     any(attachments,
270         .file_type in $file_types_images
271         and any(file.explode(.),
272                 strings.ilike(.scan.ocr.raw,
273                               "*password*",
274                               "*document*",
275                               "*voicemail*",
276                               "*cache*",
277                               "*fax*",
278                               "*storage*",
279                               "*quota*",
280                               "*messages*"
281                 )
282                 and strings.ilike(.scan.ocr.raw,
283                                   "*terminated*",
284                                   "*review*",
285                                   "*expire*",
286                                   "*click*",
287                                   "*view*",
288                                   "*exceed*",
289                                   "*clear*",
290                                   "*only works*",
291                                   "*failed*",
292                                   "*deleted*"
293                 )
294         )
295     )
296   )
297   or (
298     //
299     // This rule makes use of a beta feature and is subject to change without notice
300     // using the beta feature in custom rules is not suggested until it has been formally released
301     //
302     strings.ilike(beta.ocr(file.message_screenshot()).text,
303                   "*password*",
304                   "*document*",
305                   "*voicemail*",
306                   "*cache*",
307                   "*fax*",
308                   "*storage*",
309                   "*quota*",
310                   "*messages*"
311     )
312     and strings.ilike(beta.ocr(file.message_screenshot()).text,
313                       "*terminated*",
314                       "*review*",
315                       "*expire*",
316                       "*click*",
317                       "*view*",
318                       "*exceed*",
319                       "*clear*",
320                       "*only works*",
321                       "*failed*",
322                       "*deleted*",
323                       "*revalidated*",
324                       "*renewal*"
325     )
326   )
327   or (
328     any(ml.nlu_classifier(body.current_thread.text).intents,
329         .name == "cred_theft" and .confidence in~ ("medium", "high")
330     )
331     or any(attachments,
332            .file_type in $file_types_images
333            and any(file.explode(.),
334                    any(ml.nlu_classifier(.scan.ocr.raw).intents,
335                        .name == "cred_theft"
336                        and .confidence in ("medium", "high")
337                    )
338            )
339     )
340   )
341 )
342 and sender.email.domain.root_domain not in (
343   "bing.com",
344   "microsoft.com",
345   "microsoftonline.com",
346   "microsoftproject.com",
347   "microsoftstoreemail.com",
348   "microsoftsupport.com",
349   "microsoft365.com",
350   "office.com",
351   "office365.com",
352   "onedrive.com",
353   "sharepointonline.com",
354   "yammer.com",
355 )
356 
357 // negate legitimate Office 365 bouncebacks
358 and not (
359   length(attachments) > 0
360   and all(attachments,
361           .content_type in ("message/delivery-status", "message/rfc822")
362   )
363   and (sender.email.local_part in ('postmaster', 'mailer-daemon'))
364 )
365 
366 // negate Microsoft "welcome to the X group" notifications
367 and not (
368   headers.auth_summary.dmarc.pass
369   and length(attachments) == 6
370   and length(filter(attachments,
371                     strings.istarts_with(.file_name, "GuestWelcomeEmail")
372              )
373   ) == 5
374   and length(filter(body.links,
375                     (
376                       .href_url.domain.domain not in (
377                         "outlook.office365.com",
378                         "aka.ms",
379                         "go.microsoft.com"
380                       )
381                     )
382                     and not .href_url.domain.domain == sender.email.domain.domain
383              )
384   ) == 0
385   and subject.subject == strings.replace_confusables(subject.subject)
386 )
387 
388 // negate org domains unless they fail DMARC authentication
389 and (
390   (
391     sender.email.domain.root_domain in $org_domains
392     and (
393       not headers.auth_summary.dmarc.pass
394       // MS quarantine digest emails from an org domain are router "internally" to MS, therefore, there is no authentication information
395       or not (
396         headers.auth_summary.dmarc.pass is null
397         and all(headers.domains,
398                 .root_domain in ("outlook.com", "office365.com")
399         )
400         // typical emails from freemail Outlook accounts are from prod.outlook.com
401         and strings.ends_with(headers.message_id, "protection.outlook.com>")
402       )
403     )
404   )
405   or sender.email.domain.root_domain not in $org_domains
406 )
407 
408 // negate highly trusted sender domains unless they fail DMARC authentication
409 and (
410   (
411     sender.email.domain.root_domain in $high_trust_sender_root_domains
412     and not headers.auth_summary.dmarc.pass
413   )
414   or sender.email.domain.root_domain not in $high_trust_sender_root_domains
415 )
416 and (
417   not profile.by_sender().solicited
418   or (
419     profile.by_sender().any_messages_malicious_or_spam
420     and not profile.by_sender().any_messages_benign
421   )
422 )
423 and not profile.by_sender().any_messages_benign
424 
425 // exclude marketing jargon from ms partners
426 and not regex.icontains(body.current_thread.text,
427                         '(schedul(e|ing)|set up).{0,20}(call|meeting|demo|zoom|conversation|time|tool|discussion)|book.{0,10}(meeting|demo|call|slot|time)|connect.{0,12}(with me|phone|email)|my.{0,10}(calendar|cal)|reserve.{0,10}s[pl]ot|break the ice|want to know more?|miss your chance|if you no longer wish|if you no longer want|if you wish to opt out|low-code (development|approach|solution|journey|platform)|(?:invite|virtual).{0,30}(webinar|presentation)'
428 ) 
429attack_types:
430  - "Credential Phishing"
431tactics_and_techniques:
432  - "Free file host"
433  - "Image as content"
434  - "Impersonation: Brand"
435  - "Social engineering"
436detection_methods:
437  - "Computer Vision"
438  - "Content analysis"
439  - "File analysis"
440  - "Header analysis"
441  - "Natural Language Understanding"
442  - "Optical Character Recognition"
443  - "Sender analysis"
444  - "URL analysis"
445id: "b59201b6-f253-55a6-9c0a-e1500a32a751"
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