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Description

The following analytic detects processes attempting to connect to known IP check web services. This behavior is identified using Sysmon EventCode 22 logs, specifically monitoring DNS queries to services like "wtfismyip.com" and "ipinfo.io". This activity is significant as it is commonly used by malware, such as Trickbot, for reconnaissance to determine the infected machine's IP address. If confirmed malicious, this could allow attackers to gather network information, aiding in further attacks or lateral movement within the network.

  • Type: Hunting

  • Product: Splunk Enterprise, Splunk Enterprise Security, Splunk Cloud

  • Last Updated: 2024-07-31
  • Author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
  • ID: 70f7c952-0758-46d6-9148-d8969c4481d1

Annotations

ATT&CK

ATT&CK

ID Technique Tactic
T1590.005 IP Addresses Reconnaissance
T1590 Gather Victim Network Information Reconnaissance
Kill Chain Phase
  • Reconnaissance
NIST
  • DE.AE
CIS20
  • CIS 10
CVE 


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`sysmon` EventCode=22  QueryName IN ("*wtfismyip.com", "*checkip.*", "*ipecho.net", "*ipinfo.io", "*api.ipify.org", "*icanhazip.com", "*ip.anysrc.com","*api.ip.sb", "ident.me", "www.myexternalip.com", "*zen.spamhaus.org", "*cbl.abuseat.org", "*b.barracudacentral.org", "*dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net", "*spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net", "*iplogger.org*", "*ip-api.com*", "*geoip.*", "*icanhazip.*") 
|  stats  min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime count by  Image ProcessId QueryName QueryStatus QueryResults EventCode Computer 
| rename Computer as dest 
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` 
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` 
| `windows_gather_victim_network_info_through_ip_check_web_services_filter`

Macros

The SPL above uses the following Macros:

:information_source: windows_gather_victim_network_info_through_ip_check_web_services_filter is a empty macro by default. It allows the user to filter out any results (false positives) without editing the SPL.

Required fields

List of fields required to use this analytic.

  • _time
  • Image
  • ProcessId
  • QueryName
  • QueryStatus
  • QueryResults
  • dest
  • EventCode

How To Implement

To successfully implement this search, you need to be ingesting logs with the process name, dns query name process path , and query ststus from your endpoints like EventCode 22. If you are using Sysmon, you must have at least version 12 of the Sysmon TA.

Known False Positives

Filter internet browser application to minimize the false positive of this detection.

Associated Analytic Story

RBA

Risk Score Impact Confidence Message
25.0 50 50 Process connecting IP location web services on $dest$

:information_source: The Risk Score is calculated by the following formula: Risk Score = (Impact * Confidence/100). Initial Confidence and Impact is set by the analytic author.

Reference

Test Dataset

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 | version: 4