Detection: Windows Cmdline Tool Execution From Non-Shell Process

Description

The following analytic identifies instances where ipconfig.exe, systeminfo.exe, or similar tools are executed by a non-standard shell parent process, excluding CMD, PowerShell, or Explorer. This detection leverages Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) telemetry to monitor process creation events. Such behavior is significant as it may indicate adversaries using injected processes to perform system discovery, a tactic observed in FIN7's JSSLoader. If confirmed malicious, this activity could allow attackers to gather critical host information, aiding in further exploitation or lateral movement within the network.

Search

1
2| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where Processes.process_name IN ("ipconfig.exe", "systeminfo.exe", "net1.exe", "arp.exe", "nslookup.exe", "route.exe", "netstat.exe", "whoami.exe") AND NOT Processes.parent_process_name IN ("cmd.exe", "powershell.exe", "powershell_ise.exe", "pwsh.exe", "explorer.exe", "-", "unknown") by Processes.parent_process_name Processes.parent_process Processes.process_name Processes.original_file_name Processes.process_id Processes.process Processes.dest Processes.user 
3| `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)` 
4| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` 
5| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` 
6| `windows_cmdline_tool_execution_from_non_shell_process_filter`

Data Source

Name	Platform	Sourcetype	Source
CrowdStrike ProcessRollup2	N/A	'crowdstrike:events:sensor'	'crowdstrike'
Sysmon EventID 1	Windows	'xmlwineventlog'	'XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational'
Windows Event Log Security 4688	Windows	'xmlwineventlog'	'XmlWinEventLog:Security'

Macros Used

Annotations

Default Configuration

This detection is configured by default in Splunk Enterprise Security to run with the following settings:

Implementation

The detection is based on data that originates from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents. These agents are designed to provide security-related telemetry from the endpoints where the agent is installed. To implement this search, you must ingest logs that contain the process GUID, process name, and parent process. Additionally, you must ingest complete command-line executions. These logs must be processed using the appropriate Splunk Technology Add-ons that are specific to the EDR product. The logs must also be mapped to the Processes node of the Endpoint data model. Use the Splunk Common Information Model (CIM) to normalize the field names and speed up the data modeling process.

Known False Positives

A network operator or systems administrator may utilize an automated host discovery application that may generate false positives. Filter as needed.

Associated Analytic Story

• CISA AA22-277A

• CISA AA23-347A

• DarkGate Malware

• FIN7

• Gozi Malware

• Qakbot

• Rhysida Ransomware

• Volt Typhoon

Risk Based Analytics (RBA)

Risk Message:

A non-standard parent process $parent_process_name$ spawned child process $process_name$ to execute command-line tool on $dest$.

References

• https://www.mandiant.com/resources/fin7-pursuing-an-enigmatic-and-evasive-global-criminal-operation

• https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0046/

• https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2023/05/24/volt-typhoon-targets-us-critical-infrastructure-with-living-off-the-land-techniques/

Detection Testing

Replay any dataset to Splunk Enterprise by using our replay.py tool or the UI. Alternatively you can replay a dataset into a Splunk Attack Range

Source: GitHub | Version: 1