Suspicious Process File Path

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Description

The following analytic will detect a suspicious process running in a file path where a process is not commonly seen and is most commonly used by malicious software. This behavior has been used by adversaries where they drop and run an exe in a path that is accessible without admin privileges.

• Type: TTP
• Product: Splunk Enterprise, Splunk Enterprise Security, Splunk Cloud
• Datamodel: Endpoint
• Last Updated: 2023-04-25
• Author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
• ID: 9be25988-ad82-11eb-a14f-acde48001122

Annotations

ATT&CK

ATT&CK

ID	Technique	Tactic
T1543	Create or Modify System Process	Persistence, Privilege Escalation

Kill Chain Phase

• Installation
• Exploitation

NIST

• DE.CM

CIS20

• CIS 10

CVE

Search

| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count values(Processes.process_name) as process_name values(Processes.process) as process min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where Processes.process_path = "*\\windows\\fonts\\*" OR Processes.process_path = "*\\windows\\temp\\*" OR Processes.process_path = "*\\users\\public\\*" OR Processes.process_path = "*\\windows\\debug\\*" OR Processes.process_path = "*\\Users\\Administrator\\Music\\*" OR Processes.process_path = "*\\Windows\\servicing\\*" OR Processes.process_path = "*\\Users\\Default\\*" OR Processes.process_path = "*Recycle.bin*" OR Processes.process_path = "*\\Windows\\Media\\*" OR Processes.process_path = "\\Windows\\repair\\*" OR Processes.process_path = "*\\temp\\*" OR Processes.process_path = "*\\PerfLogs\\*" by Processes.parent_process_name Processes.parent_process Processes.process_path Processes.dest Processes.user 
| `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)` 
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` 
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` 
| `suspicious_process_file_path_filter`

Macros

The SPL above uses the following Macros:

• security_content_ctime
• security_content_summariesonly

suspicious_process_file_path_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
• Processes.process_name
• Processes.process
• Processes.parent_process_name
• Processes.parent_process
• Processes.process_path
• Processes.dest
• Processes.user

How To Implement

To successfully implement this search you need to be ingesting information on process that include the name of the process responsible for the changes from your endpoints into the Endpoint datamodel in the Processes node.

Known False Positives

Administrators may allow execution of specific binaries in non-standard paths. Filter as needed.

Associated Analytic Story

• Azorult
• AsyncRAT
• XMRig
• Swift Slicer
• DarkCrystal RAT
• Double Zero Destructor
• Trickbot
• Data Destruction
• LockBit Ransomware
• Prestige Ransomware
• Industroyer2
• Remcos
• RedLine Stealer
• WhisperGate
• IcedID
• Hermetic Wiper
• AgentTesla
• Brute Ratel C4
• Qakbot
• Chaos Ransomware
• Volt Typhoon

RBA

Risk Score	Impact	Confidence	Message
35.0	70	50	Suspicious process $process_name$ running from a suspicious process path- $process_path$ on host- $dest$

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

• https://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/hk/threat-encyclopedia/malware/trojan.ps1.powtran.a/
• https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2022/01/15/destructive-malware-targeting-ukrainian-organizations/
• https://twitter.com/pr0xylife/status/1590394227758104576
• https://malpedia.caad.fkie.fraunhofer.de/details/win.asyncrat
• https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2023/05/24/volt-typhoon-targets-us-critical-infrastructure-with-living-off-the-land-techniques/

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

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