Suspicious Access to Windows Vault Files


Description

Identifies an unusual process accessing Windows Vault files. Credential Lockers store credentials in encrypted .vcrd files and the encryption key can be found in a file named Policy.vpol. Adversaries may acquire credentials from Vault files.

Query · eql

file where event.action == "open" and
   /* Credentials History */
  (file.path : ("?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\*\\Microsoft\\Vault\\*\\*", "?:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Vault\\*") and
    file.extension : ("vpol", "vcrd")) and
  user.id : ("S-1-5-21*", "S-1-12-*") and process.executable : "?:\\*" and
  not (process.code_signature.subject_name : "Geek Squad (Best Buy Stores, L.P.)" and process.code_signature.status : "trusted") and
  /* third party programs and noisy native system processes */
  not process.executable :
          ("?:\\Program Files\\*",
           "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\*",
           "?:\\Windows\\System32\\lsass.exe",
           "?:\\Windows\\System32\\svchost.exe",
           "?:\\Windows\\System32\\Robocopy.exe",
           "?:\\Windows\\ccmcache\\*.exe",
           "?:\\Windows\\CCM\\*.exe",
           "?:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Windows Defender\\*.exe",
           "?:\\Windows\\System32\\dllhost.exe",
           "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\ESET\\ESETOnlineScanner\\ESETOnlineScanner.exe",
           "?:\\Windows\\Explorer.exe",
           "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Microsoft\\OneDrive\\OneDrive.exe",
           "?:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection\\Platform\\*\\MsSense.exe",
           "?:\\Windows\\System32\\MRT.exe")
Raw source Suspicious Access to Windows Vault Files · Elastic TOML
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Published by elastic/protections-artifacts ↗, licensed under Elastic License 2.0 ↗. Reproduced here unmodified.
[rule]
description = """
Identifies an unusual process accessing Windows Vault files. Credential Lockers store credentials in encrypted .vcrd
files and the encryption key can be found in a file named Policy.vpol. Adversaries may acquire credentials from Vault
files.
"""
id = "831c1cda-8d8c-4c21-a84e-c428469e7d93"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "Suspicious Access to Windows Vault Files"
os_list = ["windows"]
reference = ["http://www.harmj0y.net/blog/redteaming/operational-guidance-for-offensive-user-dpapi-abuse/"]
version = "1.0.30"

query = '''
file where event.action == "open" and
   /* Credentials History */
  (file.path : ("?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\*\\Microsoft\\Vault\\*\\*", "?:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Vault\\*") and
    file.extension : ("vpol", "vcrd")) and
  user.id : ("S-1-5-21*", "S-1-12-*") and process.executable : "?:\\*" and
  not (process.code_signature.subject_name : "Geek Squad (Best Buy Stores, L.P.)" and process.code_signature.status : "trusted") and
  /* third party programs and noisy native system processes */
  not process.executable :
          ("?:\\Program Files\\*",
           "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\*",
           "?:\\Windows\\System32\\lsass.exe",
           "?:\\Windows\\System32\\svchost.exe",
           "?:\\Windows\\System32\\Robocopy.exe",
           "?:\\Windows\\ccmcache\\*.exe",
           "?:\\Windows\\CCM\\*.exe",
           "?:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Windows Defender\\*.exe",
           "?:\\Windows\\System32\\dllhost.exe",
           "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\ESET\\ESETOnlineScanner\\ESETOnlineScanner.exe",
           "?:\\Windows\\Explorer.exe",
           "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Microsoft\\OneDrive\\OneDrive.exe",
           "?:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection\\Platform\\*\\MsSense.exe",
           "?:\\Windows\\System32\\MRT.exe")
'''

min_endpoint_version = "8.0.0"
optional_actions = []
[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
field = "process.entity_id"
state = 0

[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1555"
name = "Credentials from Password Stores"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1555/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1555.004"
name = "Windows Credential Manager"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1555/004/"



[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0006"
name = "Credential Access"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0006/"

[internal]
min_endpoint_version = "8.0.0"

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