Network Connection via Startup Item


Description

Identifies the execution of an unsigned program or script from the Startup shell folder followed by an immediate network connection. This may indicate the presence of a malicious persistent item.

Query · eql

sequence by process.entity_id with maxspan=1m
 [process where event.action == "start" and
  (
   // unsigned program starting from startup folder
   (process.executable : (
    "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Roaming\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start Menu\\Programs\\Startup\\*",
    "?:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start Menu\\Programs\\Startup\\*")  and
    not process.code_signature.trusted == true) or

    // Scripts starting from startup folder
   (process.name : ("cscript.exe", "wscript.exe", "mshta.exe", "powershell.exe") and
    process.command_line : (
        "*:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Roaming\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start Menu\\Programs\\Startup\\*",
        "*:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start Menu\\Programs\\Startup\\*"))
  ) and

  /* ConnectWiseManage - unsigned */
  not process.hash.sha256 : "cac904da410372bcd0797b4bfa402c8f8663040f26e80a435d98d12bd2fa6659"]
 [network where not cidrmatch(destination.ip, "10.0.0.0/8", "127.0.0.0/8", "169.254.0.0/16", "172.16.0.0/12", "192.0.0.0/24",
       "192.0.0.0/29", "192.0.0.8/32", "192.0.0.9/32", "192.0.0.10/32", "192.0.0.170/32", "192.0.0.171/32",
       "192.0.2.0/24", "192.31.196.0/24", "192.52.193.0/24", "192.88.99.0/24", "224.0.0.0/4",
       "100.64.0.0/10", "192.168.0.0/16", "192.175.48.0/24","198.18.0.0/15", "198.51.100.0/24", "203.0.113.0/24", "240.0.0.0/4", "::1",
       "FE80::/10", "FF00::/8")]
Raw source Network Connection via Startup Item · Elastic TOML
Esc
Published by elastic/protections-artifacts ↗, licensed under Elastic License 2.0 ↗. Reproduced here unmodified.
[rule]
description = """
Identifies the execution of an unsigned program or script from the Startup shell folder followed by an immediate network
connection. This may indicate the presence of a malicious persistent item.
"""
id = "0b33141a-3f73-4414-ba90-d8410e6ab176"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "Network Connection via Startup Item"
os_list = ["windows"]
version = "1.0.31"

query = '''
sequence by process.entity_id with maxspan=1m
 [process where event.action == "start" and
  (
   // unsigned program starting from startup folder
   (process.executable : (
    "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Roaming\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start Menu\\Programs\\Startup\\*",
    "?:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start Menu\\Programs\\Startup\\*")  and
    not process.code_signature.trusted == true) or

    // Scripts starting from startup folder
   (process.name : ("cscript.exe", "wscript.exe", "mshta.exe", "powershell.exe") and
    process.command_line : (
        "*:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Roaming\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start Menu\\Programs\\Startup\\*",
        "*:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start Menu\\Programs\\Startup\\*"))
  ) and

  /* ConnectWiseManage - unsigned */
  not process.hash.sha256 : "cac904da410372bcd0797b4bfa402c8f8663040f26e80a435d98d12bd2fa6659"]
 [network where not cidrmatch(destination.ip, "10.0.0.0/8", "127.0.0.0/8", "169.254.0.0/16", "172.16.0.0/12", "192.0.0.0/24",
       "192.0.0.0/29", "192.0.0.8/32", "192.0.0.9/32", "192.0.0.10/32", "192.0.0.170/32", "192.0.0.171/32",
       "192.0.2.0/24", "192.31.196.0/24", "192.52.193.0/24", "192.88.99.0/24", "224.0.0.0/4",
       "100.64.0.0/10", "192.168.0.0/16", "192.175.48.0/24","198.18.0.0/15", "198.51.100.0/24", "203.0.113.0/24", "240.0.0.0/4", "::1",
       "FE80::/10", "FF00::/8")]
'''

min_endpoint_version = "7.15.0"
optional_actions = []
[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
field = "process.entity_id"
state = 1

[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1059"
name = "Command and Scripting Interpreter"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1059.001"
name = "PowerShell"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/001/"

[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1059.005"
name = "Visual Basic"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/005/"

[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1059.007"
name = "JavaScript"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/007/"



[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0002"
name = "Execution"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0002/"
[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1547"
name = "Boot or Logon Autostart Execution"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1547/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1547.001"
name = "Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1547/001/"



[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0003"
name = "Persistence"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0003/"
[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1218"
name = "System Binary Proxy Execution"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1218.005"
name = "Mshta"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/005/"



[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0005"
name = "Defense Evasion"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/"

[internal]
min_endpoint_version = "7.15.0"

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