Suspicious Windows Component Object Model via DLLHOST

Description

Identifies the instantiation of a registered COM object by classID via DllHost and by an unusual process such as Windows scripts interpreters, recently dropped unsigned executables and common signed proxy binaries like Rundll32. Adversaries may use the Windows Component Object Model (COM) for local code execution, evasion or persistence.

Query · eql

sequence with maxspan=5m
 [process where event.action == "start" and
    (
     /* common initial access processes */
     process.name : ("wscript.exe", "cscript.exe", "regsvr32.exe", "mshta.exe", "rundll32.exe", "vbc.exe",
                     "msbuild.exe", "wmic.exe", "cmstp.exe", "RegAsm.exe", "installutil.exe","RegSvcs.exe",
                     "msxsl.exe", "xwizard.exe", "csc.exe", "winword.exe", "excel.exe", "powerpnt.exe",
                     "powershell.exe")  or

    /* unsigned or untrusted codesign */
    ((process.code_signature.trusted == false or process.code_signature.exists == false) and
      (process.Ext.relative_file_creation_time <= 500 or process.Ext.relative_file_name_modify_time <= 500) and
      not process.executable : ("?:\\Program Files\\*", "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\*")) or

    /* common abused paths */
    process.executable :
         ("?:\\Users\\Public\\*",
          "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Roaming\\*",
          "?:\\Windows\\Microsoft.NET\\*",
          "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\Temp?_*",
          "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\7z*",
          "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\Rar*",
          "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\BNZ.*",
          "\\Device\\CdRom*",
          "\\Device\\Mup\\*",
          "\\\\*") or

    /* execution from a mounted device */
    (process.Ext.device.product_id : ("Virtual DVD-ROM", "Virtual Disk") and not process.executable : "C:\\*")
    ) and

    /* known FPs */
    not (process.name : "rundll32.exe" and process.command_line : "*zzzzInvokeManagedCustomActionOutOfProc*" and process.parent.name : "msiexec.exe") and
    not (process.name : ("rundll32.exe", "regsvr32.exe") and process.args : ("?:\\Program Files\\*", "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\*")) and
    not (process.executable : ("?:\\Program Files\\*", "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\*") and process.code_signature.trusted == true) and
    not (process.name : "rundll32.exe" and process.args : ("shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL", "printui.dll,PrintUIEntryDPIAware",  "C:\\windows\\System32\\shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL")) and
    not (process.code_signature.subject_name == "Avora Holdings, LTD" and process.code_signature.trusted == true)
   ] by process.entity_id
 [process where event.action == "start" and
   process.name : "dllhost.exe" and
   process.Ext.effective_parent.name regex~ ".+"  and

   /* excluding common noisy COM objects by classid */
   not process.args :
          (
            /* Wininet */
            "/Processid:{3EB3C877-1F16-487C-9050-104DBCD66683}",

            /* Thumbnail Cache Class Factory via Explorer.exe */
            "/Processid:{AB8902B4-09CA-4BB6-B78D-A8F59079A8D5}",

            /* Web Platform Storage COM object */
            "/Processid:{973D20D7-562D-44B9-B70B-5A0F49CCDF3F}",

            /* SPP Class - diverse third party spp.dll */
            "/Processid:{F32D97DF-E3E5-4CB9-9E3E-0EB5B4E49801}",

            /* Shell Create Object Task Server - Taskhostw */
            "/Processid:{133EAC4F-5891-4D04-BADA-D84870380A80}",

            /* COpenControlPanel via Explorer.exe */
            "/Processid:{06622D85-6856-4460-8DE1-A81921B41C4B}",

            /* UIAutomationCrossBitnessHook32 Class */
            "/Processid:{60A90A2F-858D-42AF-8929-82BE9D99E8A1}",

            /* Adobe-Reader - Acrobat.exe */
            "/Processid:{FD2C8897-2BE8-459C-B8E4-0D2FCFD341F0}",

            /* SCCM related */
            "/Processid:{7DBDD3CA-11BD-406C-9EE4-B0AAE170EE2E}",
            "/Processid:{9967A433-A640-4A56-8C3D-D8E8F95FF8F3}",

            /* PSIProfileNotify - UserEnv.dll */
            "/Processid:{E10F6C3A-F1AE-4ADC-AA9D-2FE65525666E}",

            /* Microsoft.GroupPolicy.Reporting.ReportFactory */
            "/Processid:{7F9BBC82-BA5F-4448-8622-EF76B8D007E6}",

            /* Photoviewer.dll */
            "/Processid:{76D0CB12-7604-4048-B83C-1005C7DDC503}",

            /* PrintTicket */
            "/Processid:{AA0B85DA-FDDF-4272-8D1D-FF9B966D75B0}",

            /* Virtual Factory for Windows Defender */
            "/Processid:{A4B07E49-6567-4FB8-8D39-01920E3B2357}",

            /* ScanSnap */
            "/Processid:{01F2A744-DEB2-471C-A883-0105FF8BFF2D}",

            /* Shell Indexer Admin Object */
            "/Processid:{3F4D7BB8-4F38-4526-8CD3-C44D68689C5F}",

            /* RemoteProxyFactory32 */
            "/Processid:{53362C32-A296-4F2D-A2F8-FD984D08340B}",

            /* Region and Language */
            "/Processid:{514B5E31-5596-422F-BE58-D804464683B5}",

            /* Network and Sharing Center */
            "/Processid:{7A076CE1-4B31-452A-A4F1-0304C8738100}",

            /* Virtual Factory for Power Options */
            "/Processid:{BBD8C065-5E6C-4E88-BFD7-BE3E6D1C063B}",

            /* IIS Config */
            "/Processid:{9FA5C497-F46D-447F-8011-05D03D7D7DDC}",

            /* Shortcut */
            "/Processid:{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}",

            /* RemoteProxyFactory32 - AccessibleProxyFromWindow */
            "/Processid:{53362C64-A296-4F2D-A2F8-FD984D08340B}",

            /* third party registered clsid */
            "/Processid:{86607BF8-8BC5-11D0-BA55-0080C74F0C94}",

            /* Shell Disc Image Mount */
            "/Processid:{51A1467F-96A2-4B1C-9632-4B4D950FE216}",

            "/Processid:{D4648AF3-803B-4993-BAA3-502E8F892E4B}",

            "/Processid:{1EF75F33-893B-4E8F-9655-C3D602BA4897}",

            "/Processid:{747BBE98-066A-4DA3-80D9-5129AB999BEE}",

            "/Processid:{94773112-72E8-11D0-A42E-00A024DED613}", 

            /* CFmIfsEngine Class */
            "/Processid:{82D94FB3-7FE6-4797-BB72-9A886C66073B}",

            "/Processid:{E1789B51-C801-4DB8-9E35-48E5B29F3316}",
            "/Processid:{0FA40ACA-8A2F-11D0-BA53-0080C74F0C94}",

            /* Home Networking Configuration Manager */
            "/Processid:{46C166AA-3108-11D4-9348-00C04F8EEB71}"
            )
            ] by process.Ext.effective_parent.entity_id
Raw source Suspicious Windows Component Object Model via DLLHOST · Elastic TOML
Esc
Published by elastic/protections-artifacts ↗, licensed under Elastic License 2.0 ↗. Reproduced here unmodified. 
[rule]
description = """
Identifies the instantiation of a registered COM object by classID via DllHost and by an unusual process such as Windows
scripts interpreters, recently dropped unsigned executables and common signed proxy binaries like Rundll32. Adversaries
may use the Windows Component Object Model (COM) for local code execution, evasion or persistence.
"""
id = "f678ec9a-c348-485c-ac9e-84b0923ff5f5"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "Suspicious Windows Component Object Model via DLLHOST"
os_list = ["windows"]
version = "1.0.28"

query = '''
sequence with maxspan=5m
 [process where event.action == "start" and
    (
     /* common initial access processes */
     process.name : ("wscript.exe", "cscript.exe", "regsvr32.exe", "mshta.exe", "rundll32.exe", "vbc.exe",
                     "msbuild.exe", "wmic.exe", "cmstp.exe", "RegAsm.exe", "installutil.exe","RegSvcs.exe",
                     "msxsl.exe", "xwizard.exe", "csc.exe", "winword.exe", "excel.exe", "powerpnt.exe",
                     "powershell.exe")  or

    /* unsigned or untrusted codesign */
    ((process.code_signature.trusted == false or process.code_signature.exists == false) and
      (process.Ext.relative_file_creation_time <= 500 or process.Ext.relative_file_name_modify_time <= 500) and
      not process.executable : ("?:\\Program Files\\*", "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\*")) or

    /* common abused paths */
    process.executable :
         ("?:\\Users\\Public\\*",
          "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Roaming\\*",
          "?:\\Windows\\Microsoft.NET\\*",
          "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\Temp?_*",
          "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\7z*",
          "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\Rar*",
          "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\BNZ.*",
          "\\Device\\CdRom*",
          "\\Device\\Mup\\*",
          "\\\\*") or

    /* execution from a mounted device */
    (process.Ext.device.product_id : ("Virtual DVD-ROM", "Virtual Disk") and not process.executable : "C:\\*")
    ) and

    /* known FPs */
    not (process.name : "rundll32.exe" and process.command_line : "*zzzzInvokeManagedCustomActionOutOfProc*" and process.parent.name : "msiexec.exe") and
    not (process.name : ("rundll32.exe", "regsvr32.exe") and process.args : ("?:\\Program Files\\*", "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\*")) and
    not (process.executable : ("?:\\Program Files\\*", "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\*") and process.code_signature.trusted == true) and
    not (process.name : "rundll32.exe" and process.args : ("shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL", "printui.dll,PrintUIEntryDPIAware",  "C:\\windows\\System32\\shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL")) and
    not (process.code_signature.subject_name == "Avora Holdings, LTD" and process.code_signature.trusted == true)
   ] by process.entity_id
 [process where event.action == "start" and
   process.name : "dllhost.exe" and
   process.Ext.effective_parent.name regex~ ".+"  and

   /* excluding common noisy COM objects by classid */
   not process.args :
          (
            /* Wininet */
            "/Processid:{3EB3C877-1F16-487C-9050-104DBCD66683}",

            /* Thumbnail Cache Class Factory via Explorer.exe */
            "/Processid:{AB8902B4-09CA-4BB6-B78D-A8F59079A8D5}",

            /* Web Platform Storage COM object */
            "/Processid:{973D20D7-562D-44B9-B70B-5A0F49CCDF3F}",

            /* SPP Class - diverse third party spp.dll */
            "/Processid:{F32D97DF-E3E5-4CB9-9E3E-0EB5B4E49801}",

            /* Shell Create Object Task Server - Taskhostw */
            "/Processid:{133EAC4F-5891-4D04-BADA-D84870380A80}",

            /* COpenControlPanel via Explorer.exe */
            "/Processid:{06622D85-6856-4460-8DE1-A81921B41C4B}",

            /* UIAutomationCrossBitnessHook32 Class */
            "/Processid:{60A90A2F-858D-42AF-8929-82BE9D99E8A1}",

            /* Adobe-Reader - Acrobat.exe */
            "/Processid:{FD2C8897-2BE8-459C-B8E4-0D2FCFD341F0}",

            /* SCCM related */
            "/Processid:{7DBDD3CA-11BD-406C-9EE4-B0AAE170EE2E}",
            "/Processid:{9967A433-A640-4A56-8C3D-D8E8F95FF8F3}",

            /* PSIProfileNotify - UserEnv.dll */
            "/Processid:{E10F6C3A-F1AE-4ADC-AA9D-2FE65525666E}",

            /* Microsoft.GroupPolicy.Reporting.ReportFactory */
            "/Processid:{7F9BBC82-BA5F-4448-8622-EF76B8D007E6}",

            /* Photoviewer.dll */
            "/Processid:{76D0CB12-7604-4048-B83C-1005C7DDC503}",

            /* PrintTicket */
            "/Processid:{AA0B85DA-FDDF-4272-8D1D-FF9B966D75B0}",

            /* Virtual Factory for Windows Defender */
            "/Processid:{A4B07E49-6567-4FB8-8D39-01920E3B2357}",

            /* ScanSnap */
            "/Processid:{01F2A744-DEB2-471C-A883-0105FF8BFF2D}",

            /* Shell Indexer Admin Object */
            "/Processid:{3F4D7BB8-4F38-4526-8CD3-C44D68689C5F}",

            /* RemoteProxyFactory32 */
            "/Processid:{53362C32-A296-4F2D-A2F8-FD984D08340B}",

            /* Region and Language */
            "/Processid:{514B5E31-5596-422F-BE58-D804464683B5}",

            /* Network and Sharing Center */
            "/Processid:{7A076CE1-4B31-452A-A4F1-0304C8738100}",

            /* Virtual Factory for Power Options */
            "/Processid:{BBD8C065-5E6C-4E88-BFD7-BE3E6D1C063B}",

            /* IIS Config */
            "/Processid:{9FA5C497-F46D-447F-8011-05D03D7D7DDC}",

            /* Shortcut */
            "/Processid:{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}",

            /* RemoteProxyFactory32 - AccessibleProxyFromWindow */
            "/Processid:{53362C64-A296-4F2D-A2F8-FD984D08340B}",

            /* third party registered clsid */
            "/Processid:{86607BF8-8BC5-11D0-BA55-0080C74F0C94}",

            /* Shell Disc Image Mount */
            "/Processid:{51A1467F-96A2-4B1C-9632-4B4D950FE216}",

            "/Processid:{D4648AF3-803B-4993-BAA3-502E8F892E4B}",

            "/Processid:{1EF75F33-893B-4E8F-9655-C3D602BA4897}",

            "/Processid:{747BBE98-066A-4DA3-80D9-5129AB999BEE}",

            "/Processid:{94773112-72E8-11D0-A42E-00A024DED613}", 

            /* CFmIfsEngine Class */
            "/Processid:{82D94FB3-7FE6-4797-BB72-9A886C66073B}",

            "/Processid:{E1789B51-C801-4DB8-9E35-48E5B29F3316}",
            "/Processid:{0FA40ACA-8A2F-11D0-BA53-0080C74F0C94}",

            /* Home Networking Configuration Manager */
            "/Processid:{46C166AA-3108-11D4-9348-00C04F8EEB71}"
            )
            ] by process.Ext.effective_parent.entity_id
'''

min_endpoint_version = "8.4.0"
optional_actions = []
[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
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 = "T1059.001"
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.technique]]
id = "T1559"
name = "Inter-Process Communication"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1559/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1559.001"
name = "Component Object Model"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1559/001/"



[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 = "T1218.005"
name = "Mshta"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/005/"

[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1218.010"
name = "Regsvr32"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/010/"

[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1218.011"
name = "Rundll32"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/011/"



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

[internal]
min_endpoint_version = "8.4.0"

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