Windows DNS Query Request To TinyUrl
Description
The following analytic detects a process located in a potentially suspicious location making DNS queries to known URL shortening services, specifically tinyurl. URL shorteners are frequently used by threat actors to obfuscate malicious destinations, including phishing pages, malware distribution sites, or command-and-control (C2) endpoints. While tinyurl.com is a legitimate service, its use in enterprise environments—particularly by non-browser processes or scripts—should be considered suspicious, especially if correlated with subsequent outbound connections, file downloads, process file path or credential prompts. Analysts should investigate the source process, execution context, and destination domain to determine intent and risk.
Query · spl
`sysmon`
EventCode=22
QueryName = "tinyurl.com"
Image IN (
"*\\AppData\\*",
"*\\Perflogs\\*",
"*\\ProgramData\\*",
"*\\Temp\\*",
"*\\Users\\Public\\*",
"*\\Windows\\Tasks\\*"
)
| stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime
by answer answer_count dvc process_exec process_guid process_name query query_count
reply_code_id signature signature_id src user_id vendor_product QueryName QueryResults QueryStatus
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
| `windows_dns_query_request_to_tinyurl_filter`
Implementation guide
This detection relies on sysmon logs with the Event ID 22, DNS Query. We suggest you run this detection at least once a day over the last 14 days.
Known false positives
- Noise and false positive can be seen if the following instant messaging is allowed to use within corporate network. In this case, a filter is needed.
Analyst notes
Known false positives: Noise and false positive can be seen if the following instant messaging is allowed to use within corporate network. In this case, a filter is needed.