Suspicious Browser Preferences File Modification


Description

Identifies the modification of commonly used browsers settings via Preferences change. Adversaries may install a rogue browser extension or disable certain browser hardening settings to maintain persistence or evade restrictions.

Query · eql

file where event.action == "overwrite" and file.name : ("Preferences", "Secure Preferences") and
    process.executable != null and
	 file.path :
	         ("?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Google\\Chrome\\User Data\\Default\\Preferences", 
	          "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Google\\Chrome\\User Data\\Default\\Secure Preferences", 
	          "?:\\users\\*\\appdata\\local\\microsoft\\edge\\user data\\default\\Preferences", 
	          "?:\\users\\*\\appdata\\local\\microsoft\\edge\\user data\\default\\Secure Preferences") and
	 not user.id : ("S-1-5-18", "S-1-5-19", "S-1-5-19") and
	 not process.executable :
	               ("?:\\Program Files\\*.exe",
	                "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\*.exe",
	                "C:\\Windows\\explorer.exe",
	                "C:\\Windows\\System32\\xcopy.exe",
	                "C:\\Windows\\System32\\Robocopy.exe",
	                "C:\\Windows\\System32\\wscript.exe",
	                "C:\\Windows\\System32\\WindowsPowerShell\\v1.0\\powershell.exe",
	                "C:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Microsoft\\DefaultSetup\\DefaultSetup.exe",
	                "C:\\Users\\*\\.cache\\selenium\\chromedriver\\win64\\138.0.7204.157\\chromedriver.exe") and
	 not (process.code_signature.subject_name : "Microsoft*" and process.code_signature.trusted == true and
	      process.executable : ("?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Microsoft\\EdgeWebView\\Application\\*\\msedgewebview2.exe",
	                            "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Microsoft\\Edge SxS\\Application\\msedge.exe",
	                            "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Microsoft\\Edge\\Application\\msedge.exe",
	                            "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\IXP???.TMP\\MEDefaultPCReset.exe")) and
	 not (process.code_signature.trusted == true and
	      process.code_signature.subject_name :
	                ("Google LLC", "PASSWORD BOSS LLC", "Piriform Ltd", "Piriform Software Ltd", "UiPath, Inc.",
	                 "Gen Digital Inc.", "SOFT SOLUTIONS HUB LLC", "PIRIFORM SOFTWARE LIMITED", "SOFT SOLUTIONS HUB LLC",
	                 "Guangxi Yunao Network Technology Co. Ltd.", "Andrew Ziem", "ECHO INFINI SDN. BHD."))
Raw source Suspicious Browser Preferences File Modification · Elastic TOML
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Published by elastic/protections-artifacts ↗, licensed under Elastic License 2.0 ↗. Reproduced here unmodified.
[rule]
description = """
Identifies the modification of commonly used browsers settings via Preferences change. Adversaries may install a rogue
browser extension or disable certain browser hardening settings to maintain persistence or evade restrictions.
"""
id = "5d51b060-3285-4e2f-9197-74f980a6cdb0"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "Suspicious Browser Preferences File Modification"
os_list = ["windows"]
reference = ["https://syntax-err0r.github.io/Silently_Install_Chrome_Extension.html"]
version = "1.0.6"

query = '''
file where event.action == "overwrite" and file.name : ("Preferences", "Secure Preferences") and
    process.executable != null and
	 file.path :
	         ("?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Google\\Chrome\\User Data\\Default\\Preferences", 
	          "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Google\\Chrome\\User Data\\Default\\Secure Preferences", 
	          "?:\\users\\*\\appdata\\local\\microsoft\\edge\\user data\\default\\Preferences", 
	          "?:\\users\\*\\appdata\\local\\microsoft\\edge\\user data\\default\\Secure Preferences") and
	 not user.id : ("S-1-5-18", "S-1-5-19", "S-1-5-19") and
	 not process.executable :
	               ("?:\\Program Files\\*.exe",
	                "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\*.exe",
	                "C:\\Windows\\explorer.exe",
	                "C:\\Windows\\System32\\xcopy.exe",
	                "C:\\Windows\\System32\\Robocopy.exe",
	                "C:\\Windows\\System32\\wscript.exe",
	                "C:\\Windows\\System32\\WindowsPowerShell\\v1.0\\powershell.exe",
	                "C:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Microsoft\\DefaultSetup\\DefaultSetup.exe",
	                "C:\\Users\\*\\.cache\\selenium\\chromedriver\\win64\\138.0.7204.157\\chromedriver.exe") and
	 not (process.code_signature.subject_name : "Microsoft*" and process.code_signature.trusted == true and
	      process.executable : ("?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Microsoft\\EdgeWebView\\Application\\*\\msedgewebview2.exe",
	                            "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Microsoft\\Edge SxS\\Application\\msedge.exe",
	                            "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Microsoft\\Edge\\Application\\msedge.exe",
	                            "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\IXP???.TMP\\MEDefaultPCReset.exe")) and
	 not (process.code_signature.trusted == true and
	      process.code_signature.subject_name :
	                ("Google LLC", "PASSWORD BOSS LLC", "Piriform Ltd", "Piriform Software Ltd", "UiPath, Inc.",
	                 "Gen Digital Inc.", "SOFT SOLUTIONS HUB LLC", "PIRIFORM SOFTWARE LIMITED", "SOFT SOLUTIONS HUB LLC",
	                 "Guangxi Yunao Network Technology Co. Ltd.", "Andrew Ziem", "ECHO INFINI SDN. BHD."))
'''

min_endpoint_version = "8.1.0"
[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
field = "process.entity_id"
state = 0

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

[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1176"
name = "Software Extensions"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1176/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1176.001"
name = "Browser Extensions"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1176/001/"



[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0003"
name = "Persistence"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0003/"

[internal]
min_endpoint_version = "8.1.0"

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