Remcos RAT ExePath Registry Modification


Description

Identifies registry modification consistent with the Remcos Remote Access Trojan (RAT). Remcos RAT is used by attackers to perform actions on infected machines remotely.

Query · eql

registry where event.action == "modification" and
  registry.value == "EXEpath" and
  process.code_signature.trusted != true and
  /* EXEpath used by RemcosRAT watchdog to restart it if killed and it contains encrypted path */
  registry.path : "HKEY_USERS\\S-1-5-*\\SOFTWARE\\*\\exepath" and
  registry.data.strings : "?*" and
  not registry.data.strings regex~ """.*[a-z0-9]{8,}.*"""
Raw source Remcos RAT ExePath Registry Modification · Elastic TOML
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Published by elastic/protections-artifacts ↗, licensed under Elastic License 2.0 ↗. Reproduced here unmodified.
[rule]
description = """
Identifies registry modification consistent with the Remcos Remote Access Trojan (RAT). Remcos RAT is used by attackers
to perform actions on infected machines remotely.
"""
id = "d8e20cd0-e00d-4188-8728-b3adccf10495"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "Remcos RAT ExePath Registry Modification"
os_list = ["windows"]
reference = [
    "https://any.run/malware-trends/remcos",
    "https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0332/",
    "https://www.elastic.co/security-labs/dissecting-remcos-rat-part-four",
]
version = "1.0.3"

query = '''
registry where event.action == "modification" and
  registry.value == "EXEpath" and
  process.code_signature.trusted != true and
  /* EXEpath used by RemcosRAT watchdog to restart it if killed and it contains encrypted path */
  registry.path : "HKEY_USERS\\S-1-5-*\\SOFTWARE\\*\\exepath" and
  registry.data.strings : "?*" and
  not registry.data.strings regex~ """.*[a-z0-9]{8,}.*"""
'''

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 = "T1112"
name = "Modify Registry"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1112/"


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

[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0011"
name = "Command and Control"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0011/"

[internal]
min_endpoint_version = "8.1.0"

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