Windows Script Execution via MMC Console File


Description

Identifies attempts to execute a Windows script via a malicious Microsoft Management Console File. Adversaries may use MSC files for execution and evasion.

Query · eql

sequence by process.entity_id with maxspan=1m
 [process where event.action == "start" and
  process.executable : "?:\\Windows\\System32\\mmc.exe" and process.args : "*.msc" and
  not process.args : ("?:\\Windows\\System32\\*.msc", "?:\\Windows\\SysWOW64\\*.msc", "?:\\Program files\\*.msc", "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\*.msc") and
  not process.parent.executable : ("C:\\Windows\\System32\\ServerManager.exe", "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Citrix\\System32\\wfshell.exe") and
  not (process.working_directory : "C:\\Windows\\system32\\" and process.command_line : "\"C:\\Windows\\System32\\mmc.exe\" rrasmgmt.msc") and
  not process.parent.executable : "C:\\Program Files\\Devolutions\\Remote Desktop Manager\\RemoteDesktopManager.exe"
  ]
 [file where event.action in ("creation", "overwrite") and
  process.executable :  "?:\\Windows\\System32\\mmc.exe" and
  file.path : "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Microsoft\\Windows\\INetCache\\IE\\*"]
Raw source Windows Script Execution via MMC Console File · Elastic TOML
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Published by elastic/protections-artifacts ↗, licensed under Elastic License 2.0 ↗. Reproduced here unmodified.
[rule]
description = """
Identifies attempts to execute a Windows script via a malicious Microsoft Management Console File. Adversaries may use
MSC files for execution and evasion.
"""
id = "5b5926cf-03ad-476b-959c-a0d15cd1efe0"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "Windows Script Execution via MMC Console File"
os_list = ["windows"]
reference = ["https://www.elastic.co/security-labs/grimresource"]
version = "1.0.4"

query = '''
sequence by process.entity_id with maxspan=1m
 [process where event.action == "start" and
  process.executable : "?:\\Windows\\System32\\mmc.exe" and process.args : "*.msc" and
  not process.args : ("?:\\Windows\\System32\\*.msc", "?:\\Windows\\SysWOW64\\*.msc", "?:\\Program files\\*.msc", "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\*.msc") and
  not process.parent.executable : ("C:\\Windows\\System32\\ServerManager.exe", "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Citrix\\System32\\wfshell.exe") and
  not (process.working_directory : "C:\\Windows\\system32\\" and process.command_line : "\"C:\\Windows\\System32\\mmc.exe\" rrasmgmt.msc") and
  not process.parent.executable : "C:\\Program Files\\Devolutions\\Remote Desktop Manager\\RemoteDesktopManager.exe"
  ]
 [file where event.action in ("creation", "overwrite") and
  process.executable :  "?:\\Windows\\System32\\mmc.exe" and
  file.path : "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Microsoft\\Windows\\INetCache\\IE\\*"]
'''

min_endpoint_version = "7.15.0"
[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
field = "process.entity_id"
state = 0
tree = true

[[optional_actions]]
action = "rollback"
field = "process.entity_id"
state = 0

[[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 = "T1059.005"
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 = "T1218"
name = "System Binary Proxy Execution"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1218.014"
name = "MMC"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/014/"



[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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